Army of Nine
by Kiiam
Summary: Naruto, Bee, Fu, Utakata, Han, Roshi, Yagura, Yugito, Gaara. Nine hosts, nine demons. One of the nine decides to bring all the jinchuriki together. What would it have been like if the Jinchuriki had been there to look out for one another?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Due to recent success with my other fic, I've decided post this new one that I've wanted to write for a while.

I hope you you'll all like what I think is a original new story that I've written up. I've been thinking about this scenario for a while now, if all the jinchuriki had actually been brought together at some point and this was the result. This story was partly inspired by my other fic, New Life, Second Chances. But anyway, I'm rambling and you should be reading.

Anyway, I hope you'll all like my new fic. Treat it with respect, 'kay? Enjoy.

* * *

**Prologue**

Konohagakure, the village hidden in the leaf, was one of the greatest shinobi villages in the land. Its lands were prosperous, it was the home to many elite and promising ninja, held many prestigious and powerful bloodlines, and it was recognized for its power by the other villages across the land. In many of these areas, Konoha was envied by the other villages.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was Konoha's third hokage. He was proud of his country, and he did his best to lead it. He had won many titles due to his accomplishments, and was well known for his kindness and understanding of others. During the tough times he had helped Konoha get through hell without a thought for himself, only caring for the safety of the people he had vowed to protect. The ninja were loyal to him, and the villagers adored him.

"We apologize for our behavior, Hokage-sama."

Sarutobi sighed. He loved his village and would do anything for it, but sometimes he just didn't like the people very much.

The hokage looked at the group of village residents in front of him with disdain. The men and women in the small group all smiled sheepishly at him, muttering apologies for their offense. A frequently repeated offense. The same offense many of the other villagers were guilty of. The man's eyes slowly turned towards a small body cowering in the corner of the room, far away from the villagers.

Sarutobi looked sadly at the quaking form of Naruto Uzumaki. He clenched his knees close to his body, settling his head on top of them. Cuts and bruises were all over his legs and forearms, evidence to the villagers' abuse on him. While most of the cuts and scars had healed thanks to the boy's… condition, it wasn't enough to hide the villagers' crime.

"_I had never wished this for this to happen to you, Naruto. You don't deserve it." _Sarutobi thought sadly as he turned back towards the villagers.

"Um… do we have your permission to leave, hokage-sama?" One villager asked uneasily.

The man shot a piercing glare towards the villager who spoke. Many of these offenders would get a much harsher punishment, just not in front of the public eye.

"Yes, you can all go home." Sarutobi sighed. "It had better not happen again."

"Yes, Hokage-sama." The group of villagers chorused.

Hiruzen sighed once more. He knew damn well it would happen again…

The villagers hurriedly shuffled out the door, but not before shooting a few final glares towards the small body that was huddled in the corner.

Once they had all left, the Sandaime got up from his chair and made his way over to Naruto. The man knelt down in front of the boy and gave him a comforting smile.

"Naruto, they're gone…" The man said soothingly.

"…Jiji-san…?"

Naruto slowly raised his head. Tears were lingering in the corner of his eyes and a large cut was slowly starting to heal on his head.

"Why do the villagers do those things to me?" The boy asked with a desperate edge to his voice. "Did… did I do something wrong?"

"No, Naruto. You have done NOTHING wrong." Sarutobi assured the boy with a comforting smile.

"_I just wish the villagers could see that."_

"T-Then why do they always…?"

Sarutobi sighed and placed his hand on the boy's head and rubbed it affectionately. He wished he could do more for Naruto, he really did, but his position in the village wouldn't allow him to be there for the blonde child 24/7. Even those who would've been fit to watch over him had abandoned the boy, even if they had their own reasons for doing so. What Sarutobi could do for Naruto in front of the village, and the council, was very limited.

The most he could do was comfort him when he came crying to him.

"How about we go get you some ramen?" Sarutobi offered, still wearing a smile on his face. "My treat."

"O-Okay…" Naruto mumbled, wiping the tears from his eyes. He gave his benefactor a large smile.

Hiruzen smiled back. A happy expression was better suited for the young boy.

Even as Naruto pulled the man towards the door with an excited smile, the Hokage's thoughts drifted to his harsh treatment by the villagers. What had happened to the village and various families was tragic, but how could they push all their hate onto a child? Did nobody see what was wrong with that? They all honestly thought that this sweet, smiling boy was the Kyuubi incarnate instead of its jailer.

"Minato… how disappointed you would be right now…" Sarutobi said softly, wishing Naruto didn't have to become the jinchuriki of the nine-tailed fox.

He only wished the boy had someone who could be there for him… someone else who knew the same pain he did…

X.X.X.X.X-Somewhere in Kumogakure-X.X.X.X.X

"Hey, c'mon Yugito, don't cry."

"Sniff… waaaaah…! Sniff…"

"Don't worry about them. They don't know what they're talking about."

Bee sighed as the blonde haired girl in front of him continued to bawl her eyes out. He pulled up the corners of his mouth and gave her his biggest smile.

"C'mon, don't cry, Yugi_to. _Those tears will mess up your pretty face, _y'know_?"

The girl giggled through her sobs when Bee bad attempt at rapping. She wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled at the older boy's attempt to cheer her up.

"Thanks Bee." Yugito smiled. She frowned when she noticed something red on his face. "You… you're bleeding!"

Her hand flew to his face, where a small trail of blood was dripping out of his nose. The boy's eyes widened and he hastily rubbed the blood off.

"D-Don't worry about somethin' like that, _see_. I could take them on easy 'cause I'm Killer _Bee._"

Yugito ignored Bee's rhyming and started to tear up again. She threw her arms around the teen's waist and cried into his shirt.

"I'm so sorry…" Yugito cried. "B-Because of me you were…!"

"Hey, hey… I told you its fine…" Bee smiled down at her as he stroked the top of her head. He sighed down at his fellow jinchuriki.

Words like "monster" and "demon" echoed in the teen's head. Bee dreamed of earning the village's admiration one day, though he wasn't sure beating them up was the best way to do it…

…But he was willing to get his hands dirty if it meant protecting those who wanted to hurt Yugito. He was old enough to take a beating, but he wouldn't let Yugito be subjected to the same kind of treatment.

X.X.X.X.X-Somewhere in Iwagakure-X.X.X.X.X

A young teen gently rubbed the cloth against the red plate he was holding. Though just by looking at him, he could pass himself off as a young adult. The boy was rather tall for his age, wearing a long black gi complimented by black gloves and boots while his short black hair was obscured by the straw hat he wore.

"Ah, good." The teen smiled as he held up the red plate he had been polishing, appreciating the sheen he was rewarded. He placed the red plate on a pile which contained other plates similar to it. "I still have a long ways to go."

Han sat at the edge of a hot spring, watching the steam rise up from it. The boy sighed in contentment as the hot moisture caressed his tanned face as he stared down into the clear, warm waters the spring contained.

The teen frowned when he noticed some of the water had turned red. Han's eyes narrowed at the body that floated inside the spring.

"Damn, one of the bodies fell into the spring." Han muttered as he got up from his seat.

He didn't bother looking at all the dead bodies that were scattered atop the rocks around the spring. All their faces were red and some of their flesh looked like it had been burned. Han growled in disdain as he picked up his red armor plates off the ground.

"Idiot humans, your blood _ruined _a great hot spring." The jinchuriki growled as he kicked one of the bodies beside him. "I'll never finish making my steam armor if this keeps up…"

It was the tenth squad sent to attack him this week, and for him, it was starting to get old really fast…

X.X.X.X.X-Elsewhere in Iwagakure-X.X.X.X.X

Roshi sat under a waterfall with his palms together as he tried to concentrate.

He was trying to dig deep into his mind. He tried seeing what was inside. He needed to better understand what was inside him. He hoped that if he did, he would feel welcome when he decided to return home.

"**We both know that's a lie."**

Roshi was not fazed by this. His eyes clenched tighter together as he tried to delve deeper into his mind.

"**They'll never understand. Why don't you just accept that?"**

All of Roshi's muscles tightened as he tried to gain a visual in his mind. He wanted to see the beast with his own eyes…

Suddenly, it was his vision exploded. Flames danced around in his eyesight as a red creature with four tails cried out in front of him.

"**WE'VE GOT COMPANY!"**

Roshi's eyes shot open. About a dozen ninja, all wearing the Iwagakure headband on their foreheads were advancing towards him. Some looked threatening, while most looked fearful.

Roshi sighed as he made a few hand signs. The temperature around him drastically increased. A small smile made its way onto the man's face.

"I was so close this time too." Roshi pouted to himself as he stood up.

The area exploded into a field of fire and lava.

X.X.X.X.X-Somewhere in Takigakure-X.X.X.X.X

"C'mon! Is that all you've got!"

Fu delivered a hard kick to the side of the downed boy's face. The boy was at least a few years older than her, but he was holding his hands up in surrender.

The group of four helped their leader off the ground and took off, shooting glares at the small girl who had kicked all of their butts.

"Yeah, that's right! You had better run!" Fu called after them, a look of mad fury etched on her face.

Fu stopped yelling when she couldn't see her bullies any longer. Even after a scuffle like that, she was relatively unscathed barring a few bruises. Her minty green hair was stained with a bit of blood too. She bent down and picked up her orange hair clip off the ground and reattached it to keep her bangs out of her eyes. Fu clenched her fists angrily by her sides.

Just because her brusies healed up quickly didn't mean she couldn't feel pain. In more ways than one too…

"I'm not a monster…" Fu mumbled angrily as she balled her hands into fists. The words of the boys who had attacked her echoed in her ears. "I'm not a demon…"

Her eyes widened. She turned took off in a sprint down the street. The boys had come back…

...But they had brought their parents and sharp objects back with them.

X.X.X.X.X-Somewhere in Kirigakure-X.X.X.X.X

Utakata stared down at the body of his dead master. The teen slowly raised his hands up as he felt the last of the Rokubi's chakra diminish.

"Is this the power you sought for yourself, master?" Utakata asked in a hollow voice. "You wanted to kill me just so you could have the power I am cursed with…?"

He was betrayed. The man who he had held in such high regard had betrayed him for the power of the demon beast inside him.

Utakata picked up his discarded tools and hurriedly left the area. There was no way his transformation had gone unnoticed. Hunter-nin would be swarming the place soon, and that was something he didn't need to deal with at the moment. Utakata's teeth clenched together as his emotions raged inside him.

Who else had experienced such betrayal…?

X.X.X.X.X-Somewhere in Sunagakure-X.X.X.X.X

"Why… why… why…?"

A young Gaara chanted these words as he rocked himself back and forth. Tears streamed down the boy's face as sand violently danced around him. Some of the sand was red, stained with the blood of the only man who had cared for him…

...No, the only man who had _thought _had cared for him.

"No, no. Uncle Yashamaru wouldn't try to kill me. He loved me… he loves me…!"

Gaara muttered the words desperately under his breath. He slowly, fearfully, raised his head and screamed when he saw the red sand again. His uncle's words played through his head, increasing his anguish and torture.

_You're wrong… I always hated you…_

Gaara continued to sob as a small line of sand rose up and carved the Kanji symbol for "Love" onto his forehead. He ignored the pain as his uncle's final words, his last wish, echoed in his mind.

_Please… die…!_

Gaara's screamed, unleashing all his anger, sorrow, and turmoil in one breath. The boy's consciousness faded as his shout slowly died. The boy collapsed into his sand as it danced around him.

From his position in the Kazekage's tower, Gaara's father let out a low growl when he heard the Ichibi's screeching roar.

X.X.X.X.X-In Kirigakure, the Mizukage's tower-X.X.X.X.X

Yagura gasped and sat up in his bed, cold sweat dripping down his back as he freed himself from the nightmare he had been having. The Mizukage let out a shaky sigh as he slowly calmed down, throwing the bed sheets off his body and placing his feet on the floor.

"Restless creature…" Yagura murmured as he hoisted himself out of bed.

He was already wide awake, so there was really no point in going back to sleep.

Yagura made his way over to the window and pulled up a chair, sitting down on it as he gazed towards the night sky. The moon seemed hazy since the fog blanketed the village in a veil of gray. The Yondaime Mizukage massaged his temples lightly as his head throbbed.

An occasional nightmare was common for the young kage, since the demon inside him was so fond of messing with his head. The Sanbi had a fondness for hallucinations, so the nightmares were often very creative, and felt very real. Still, Yagura had long since gotten used to these dreams. He was in full control of the demon inside him, but whenever he was asleep it gave the beast a good opportunity to toy with his mind.

However, this nightmare had been something different.

"It's not often I dream of the past." Yagura mused as he leaned back in his chair.

It wasn't even a nightmare, really. It was more of a memory. A memory that was more dreadful to him than any nightmare. It was something he didn't like to remember.

His childhood.

Because of the demon inside of him, he had been hated by the villagers. Everyone had seen him as the demon and not the crying child who was desperate for love and understanding from those around him. Only after he discovered the demon inside him, along with a couple life changing moments, drove him to become the man he was today. He decided to use the demon's powers to become strong and gain the respect he yearned for.

Slowly, but surely, Yagura became powerful. It was a long, bloodstained road, but eventually he had gained the power to become the fourth Mizukage of Kirigakure.

Of course, power yielded two fruits: Love and Fear.

During his ascension to power, there had been those who had gathered around him because of his strength, willing to support him. Many had come to look up to him. He had many allies now, but there were only a few he truly trusted. Still, those who knew him knew that he was a kind person, no matter how much he denied it. Without those people there to help him, Yagura's goal would have taken much longer to achieve.

Then again, the majority still feared him. A good many of the villagers disagreed with Yagura's harsh methods and somewhat cold demeanor towards certain issues. It was because of this that Kirigakure had earned its nickname. Yagura did not believe a benevolent ruler could be a strong one. He was not naïve enough to think that.

That mindset had forced him to get his hands dirty frequently. Those who would challenge whether or not Yagura would follow through with his drastic actions, which was very often, were _always _proven wrong.

Despite all this, people respected him without question. He was powerful, he was feared, he was loved, even if it was only by a few, and he was happy. Compared to how things used to be for him, Yagura was very content with his life.

...Yet, the dream had got him thinking. Many times he had wished someone had been there for him when he was younger. No one had taught him how to read, fight, or anything. Up until his late teens he always had to do everything himself.

Yagura's eyes drifted over to the papers that lay on top of his desk. Personal papers on issues that were known only to him and a few others. Things he had taken an interest in and chosen to keep an eye on. He got up and made his way over to the desk, picking up a piece of paper.

He blamed his paranoia for this, but he had kept tabs on certain people in the other villages recently…

The paper was a list. A list containing nine names, his included. Yagura silently stared down at the paper, slowly scanning over each name.

"I wonder…" The Mizukage murmured, staring at the names.

Nine hosts, nine Demons.

He wondered if they had experienced the same pain he had.

"I wonder if I can help them." Yagura muttered quietly as he was hit with a sudden impulse.

He wanted to meet the other containers. He wanted to be there for those who were like him.

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A/N: And that's the prologue for you. I don't expect to get a lot of feedback since it's the teaser chapter, but still.

Personally, I really liked how it turned out even for a prologue. I've already got plans for this story, and it'll be my attempt to write something that's not completely based off the canon storyline. I'm trying to make this new story a completely original one.

This chapter served to introduce all nine of the main characters who will eventually meet up in the next couple of chapters. I'll be tweaking scenarios a bit to suit my needs, and I'll have info on the containers in the next chapter. Like their ages, personality and whatnot so you can get an idea of what their characters will be like.

I've got confidence in this fic, but it's a side project. My main focus is still NLSC, but I'll update this story when I'm not working on it. But hey, if this story gets enough support I may start updating it as quickly as my other one.

Anyway, tell me what you thought and I'd appreciate it if you guys would review. The next chapter will be up will be up eventually. Until next time.

Kiiam


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

A/N: Gah, I guess I left the prologue hanging for a bit longer than I wanted to. Even if this is my side project, I had meant to give it a little more attention. Regardless, I am pleased and thankful for the strong response the story has gotten even though I only had the prologue posted.

I worked my hardest on this chapter since this chapter is setting the basis for the beginning of things. I won't prolong getting the containers over a span of ten chapters, no, all of them are going to be brought together as quickly as possible. This chapter will show Yagura gathering them all up. I really enjoyed writing it and was very pleased with the end result.

And as to be fair, I'm going to give you all a general idea of what the story will be like. Naruto will still be the main protagonist, but the other containers will get their fair share of spotlight. All the containers have their own personal problems and burdens that will be addressed and revealed as the story goes on. For now, a quick synopsis of the jinchurikis:

Naruto Uzumaki: Age 7 (turning 8), his personality is the same as in the manga/anime. Happy go lucky kid, if somewhat naïve.

Killer Bee: Age 14, personality is the same as in manga/anime. He wants to gain acknowledgement from his village on his own.

Fu: Age 7, she's a headstrong, tough if somewhat arrogant girl with a short temper. She's blunt about her opinions and hates people because of how they treat her. Like Han, she trusts no one.

Utakata: Age 13, same in the anime. He's got a cool, careless demeanor and prefers to keep to himself. Kinda lazy too.

Han: Age 17, hates humanity and loathes pretty much everyone for how he was treated. He's cold, looks out for himself, and his responses usually consist of insults or harsh words.

Roshi: Age 39, a veteran ninja who wants to better understand and control his demon. He's a kind old man, enjoys drinking, and is interested by various things.

Yagura: Age 25, has a seemingly cold personality, but he's a nice guy. Still, he doesn't trust a whole lot of people and has somewhat harsh methods for keeping peace in Kiri.

Yugito: Age 8, a generally sweet girl who tries her hardest and wants to get stronger. Like Bee, she wants to get respect from her village and looks up to the Hachibi host.

Gaara: Age 6, personality is same as manga/anime. Though, we won't see much of Crazy Gaara.

Ages will change as time moves forward and together their mindsets will change. This story will be about the jinchuriki working together and filling the void each of them have in their hearts, forging iron bonds between them that will make them closer than family. Anyway, you've waited long enough and I'm done talking. Enjoy.

* * *

**Nine Hosts**

Sunagakure, the village hidden in the sand, was one of the five great ninja villages of the land. Everyone acknowledged that. Despite this, if one had to give his or her own opinion, they would say that Suna was the weakest out of the five. It made the Kazekage's blood boil, especially since he couldn't deny the truth in that statement. They didn't have Iwa's strong defenses, the structural superiority of Kumo, the military power of Kiri, or the vast resources that belonged to Konoha. Instead of prospering, the village only continued to decline.

No, all they had was the endless sea of sand that surrounded the village.

Still, the Kazekage was proud of his nation and had sacrificed much for what he believed would benefit the village, but Suna still fell short. He had instigated many different plans in order to help the village recover the resources that once made the nation strong, but all his efforts had been fruitless.

His most recent plan had probably been his worst.

The Kazekage let out a frustrated groan as his so-… its howls became louder. The screams echoed down the hallways. He had ordered Yashamaru to kill Gaara, a mission he had willingly accepted, but had unfortunately failed to do so. Death had only taken his brother-in-law and not the monster, the unusable tool that was his son.

His son was a weapon unfit to use. It's a shame his plan had gone so wrong.

"…I feel sorry for the boy."

The Kazekage's eyes narrowed as his eyes shifted from the nervous guard and over to the visitor who calmly sat in a chair on the opposite side of the room.

"I recognize those cries. They are cries from one who feels that he is truly alone…" Yagura murmured pensively as he glanced towards the door.

"Hmph." The Kazekage scoffed at the Mizukage as a guard hurriedly entered the room and bowed before the Suna leader.

"Report!" The Kazkage ordered harshly. "How is my so-… how is the beast doing?"

"K-Kazekage-sama, it has started to act up again. A-Anyone who t-tries to go near it is k-k-killed!"

Yagura watched this exchange with mild interest, taking note of how the Ichibi container was referred to by his father and the guard.

"Has it moved at all?" The Kazekage asked.

"N-No. I-It just sits there and yells when it's awake, and even when it sleeps that sand strikes at anyone who gets close! W-We just have to wait until it c-calms down."

The guard's face was petrified, and Yagura noticed some spots of blood on the man's face and clothes. The Kazekage shooed the guard away and directed his attention towards the Mizukage, who gave him a dull expression in response to his glare.

"Now… to what do I owe the pleasure?" The Kazekage asked, glaring at the other kage. "Why has the Mizukage come to visit me during this time? I had assumed Suna was too dry for your tastes."

The Mizukage had made an arrived in Suna unannounced early in the morning. Yagura was known as an aloof man by the other kages, and while the Kazekage was annoyed by his sudden presence, he had more pressing matters at hand.

Still, he needed to focus all his attention on Gaara, and he was having a hard time doing that with the Mizukage looking over his shoulder.

"It isn't where I would choose to live, but that's just a matter of preference." The Mizukage replied calmly, earning a grunt from the irritable Kage. "I understand that your son is the container for the Ichibi no Shukaku?"

"That _thing _is not my son." The Kazekage spat. "It is a weapon that is too unstable to be of any use to me or this village. Nothing more. It does more harm than good."

Yagura digested the man's harsh words for a moment before giving his reply.

"Then what if I offered to take this 'unusable' weapon off your hands?"

The air turned cold. The Kazekage gave the Mizukage a glare that would have made most men sweat and shake in their boots, but Yagura's stoic expression never left his face.

"…What are you asking of me?"

"I have made no secret of my condition to you or the other Kages." Yagura dodged the question, leaving his seat and stepping in front of the Kazekage. "You are well aware that I am a jinchuriki just like your son. It is because of this trait we share that I feel a sense of… camaraderie towards your son."

The Kazekage just listened silently as the host of the Sanbi no Kyodaigame continued to speak. It was partly because of the Mizukage's condition that he had wanted to turn Gaara into a weapon using the Ichibi's power. The Mizukage was recognized for his strength, and if Gaara had only learned to control his demon he could have made for the most useful weapon.

"Which is why I have come here to ask for your permission to take Gaara to Kirigakure and have him train… with me." Yagura put it bluntly, choosing not to decorate his request more than he needed to.

All he got in response to that was a raised eyebrow, showing the Kazekage's mild curiosity. He studied Yagura for a moment before replying.

"What compels you to do this?" The Kazekage asked.

Yagura turned away as he listened to the boy's wails from down the hall. Truth was, he still wasn't quite sure why he wanted to bring all the jinchuriki together. Part of him wanted to say that it was because he felt sympathy and understanding towards his fellow containers, which he did, but that wasn't the reason.

He acted on an impulse he had a few days ago. A simple whim. Nothing more, nothing less.

Still, as he listened to the boy cry, Yagura started to feel like he had more of a reason for wanting to meet with the other containers.

He felt like… helping his fellow jinchuriki.

"As I said before, I understand his cries." Yagura shrugged. "I wish to support him."

"Hmph. Your request is ludicrous and shall not be granted." The Kazekage said harshly as his eyes narrowed at the Mizukage. "While the creature may be in that state, it can still be used to intimidate those around us."

Yagura had expected that answer. Gaara could still be used as a status symbol. Even if the Kazekage couldn't control the demon inside Gaara, attacking a village that housed a jinchuriki was something no one would do willingly. Attacking might agitate the beast inside, and if someone were to attack Ichibi container…

Well, the bloodstains on that guard's suit were all the answer one needed.

Of course, Yagura could still bet that the Kazekage hoped to control the Ichibi in the future, when Gaara was older. He could use that aspiration to persuade the Kage…

"Your desire was to have Gaara learn to control the beast inside him and become a weapon for the village to use." Yagura said. "If you were to let me take him to Kiri, I could teach him how to control the Ichibi."

The Kazekage's eyes widened for a moment before his scowl returned.

"How?"

"I control the Sanbi." Yagura reminded him, making the Kazekage stiffen when he heard the three-tailed beast's name.

In demonstration, Yagura channeled a bit of the demon turtle's chakra into his hand, enveloping it in a red haze of chakra. He flicked his wrist once and the chakra dissipated.

"If you allow me to train Gaara until he gains full control of his demon, I will send him back to Suna upon your request." Yagura made an offer. "I will give send you monthly reports on the boy's progress, weekly if you wish. You won't have to tell this to anyone, and you have my word that I won't either. I had planned to keep this under wraps if you would give your permission…"

"...He may learn to control the demon on his own when he gets older." The Kazekage pointed out.

"It's more likely that he'll become more unstable as he gets older." Yagura said, shaking his head at the man. "Wouldn't you want a weapon made sooner than later? I promise to take good care of him."

Yagura felt a little disgusted by his own words. Jinchuriki weren't made to be weapons. He felt like he was insulting Gaara and himself.

"…Very well…" The Kazekage said slowly, closing his eyes as he reluctantly agreed.

In the end, this was probably what was best for the village. He would have liked to believe Gaara would learn to control the demon on his own, but he knew there was little chance of that. He had the potential to become a dangerous threat. So he'd push the problem onto someone else.

Besides, if Yagura kept his word and turned Gaara into the weapon he wanted… well, it was a win-win situation for him.

"However, you will have to take him back to Kiri yourself." The Kazekage smirked. "I won't spare any men trying to help you move him. It's too much of a risk. If Gaara causes any more damage I'll hold you accountable for it. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes."

"Good." The Kazekage leaned back in his chair and waved the man away. "I'll expect a report from you soon if this training of yours works."

Though he highly doubted that the training would go well. That beast could not be controlled.

Yagura nodded and left the room. He made his way down the hall, heading towards the screams. He came to a door near the end of the hall. Two guards stood next to it, but they kept a few feet's distance from it. The two men did nothing as Yagura stepped past them and entered the room.

The staircase that led down was a tunnel covered with sand. Yagura ignored the sandy walls as they jumped out at him. Yagura could tell that parts of the sand were stained with blood, and while it jumped dangerously at him, it didn't make contact with the Mizukage.

Eventually, Yagura made it to the bottom where a crying boy with auburn hair sat on a bench within the single cell. The bars were either bent or torn down and sand thrashed violently around him.

"Kaa-san… Uncle Yashamaru… they loved me… I'm a good boy… good boy…"

Yagura ignored the boy's pained whispers and stepped forward. The sand beneath him shifted as he stepped towards the boy. Gaara's whispers became more frantic and desperate as the Sanbi container approached him.

"No… mother wants blood… Uncle Yashamaru's blood… go away… go away…!"

Gaara's voice rose as he heard the man come closer to him. The boy screamed and clutched his head in agony as the image of his uncle's death and last words flashed through his mind.

"GO AWAY! LEAVE ME ALONE! I DON'T WANT TO HURT ANYONE! I DON'T WANT YOU TO HURT ME ANYMORE!"

Gaara's scream tore through the cell as the sand spiked, swirled, and jumped. Gaara's howling did nothing to ward off the approaching Mizukage. Yagura held a stoic expression as he stepped in front of the boy. Gaara's eyes widened when he saw his hand reach out for him.

"DON'T TOUCH ME! DIE, DIE, DIE, DIE, DIE, DIE, DIE!" Gaara screamed desperately.

He didn't want anyone else to hurt him. For once, he willed his sand to attack the person in front of him. The sand rose up and closed around them, aiming towards Yagura.

But then, as if the gravity in the room had suddenly increased, all the sand abruptly dropped to the floor, no longer making any sort of movement. This went unnoticed by Gaara who continued to scream and cry.

...Until Gaara felt a tender hand place itself on the top of his head and give him an affectionate rub.

This hand had a tenderness that felt familiar somehow… it was affectionate and understanding. Gaara shook when he heard the man speak.

"It's okay… I won't hurt you."

Though the voice was void of any emotions whatsoever, Gaara trusted the words. The boy grabbed onto that hand desperately, sobbing and hiccupping as he held it in place. He wanted to feel more of that kindness.

Yagura watched the sobbing boy clutch onto his hand with his two tiny ones. The Mizukage stared at the boy with a calm look, but if one who knew him looked closely enough they could see the bewilderment and surprise in his eyes.

"_This one is like me…" _Yagura thought to himself. He glanced at the idle sand around them.

He had used the Sanbi's chakra as a warning to the Ichibi inside Gaara. It was clear who the stronger demon was, and the Ichibi would not provoke the host of the three tailed demon.

"Do you want to come with me?" Yagura asked softly. "I'll take you away from this place if you want."

His reply was a small nod. Yagura took one of the boy's hands as he made a move to exit the cell. The crying Gaara held onto his hand as he was pulled along. At this moment, a single thought went through Yagura's head.

"_It's sad that me, a complete stranger, understands you more than your own father does…"_

X.X.X.X.X-Kumogakure, Raikage's Tower-X.X.X.X.X

Yugito and Bee sat in their seats, listening to the Raikage's harsh words as he spoke to them. Yugito nervously played with the hem of her skirt while Bee impatiently fidgeted in his seat. He was already used to his father's shouting, so he was looking much more casual as the Raikage spoke to them.

Still, the duo would occasionally glance at the guest who stood a little bit away from where they sat. It was very unusual for the Mizukage to drop by like he had. Yagura listened as the Raikage spoke to Kumo's jinchuriki, silently observing the containers through half-lidded eyes.

During postwar time, Kumo and Kiri had actually maintained good relations with one another. While there were no treaties or official alliances between the villages, each nation did not overstep its boundaries. No one knew why the Mizukage and the Raikage got along so well, but everyone had to admit it was better than fighting.

Even still, Bee and Yugito couldn't help but wonder what had brought the Mizukage here today. It was unexpected, but why would the Raikage call them to the tower to meet such an important man? What reason could he have for introducing the two of them to the Mizukage?

The reason for their summoning couldn't be because of their jinchuriki status, could it?

"So in short, I am not happy." The Raikage's harsh voice got their attention again. "You've both been given special training to control the demons inside you so you could use their powers to benefit the village. However, you have shown absolutely no progress in utilizing the Nibi's and Hachibi's chakra."

"Hey, hey, we've been doing our best." Bee argued as Yugito shook beside him. "And it's kind of hard to concentrate on training when the other kids are always trying to pick a fight with me or bullying Yugito."

"That's no excuse." The Raikage scoffed as he rolled his eyes. "When I was your age I could defeat boys three times your size, and some of them were jonin."

Bee believed those stories. Those were the bedtime stories he and his brother A grew up to. His father was the type of asshole who would punch a man in the face upon their first meeting, laughing and drinking as he watched that person bleed. The Raikage was an intimidating man and a powerful leader who could not and would not be questioned.

If he told someone to jump off a cliff, they would do so happily if it would keep them from incurring the man's wrath.

That didn't keep Bee from acting a little rebellious every now and then.

The Raikage held his hand up as Bee opened his mouth. One glare at his son was enough keep him silent for the time being.

"Which is why I've arranged something with the Mizukage…" The Raikage leaned back in his seat. "Both of you are unaware of this, but the Mizukage is a jinchuriki like you two."

The Hachibi and Nibi containers' eyes widened. They gaped at the Mizukage who was now only focusing on the Raikage.

"And unlike you two, he knows how to control his demon." The Raikage said. He crossed his arms and glared at the two of them. "Which is why I'm sending the both of you to Kirigakure to train under him. You'll learn how to control your demons from an expert."

"Y-You mean you're sending us away from the village, Raikage-sama?" Yugito asked in surprise.

Yagura noted the girl's hopeful tone.

"Yes." The Raikage nodded, affirming her question. "Both of you will be spending time in Kiri until you learn to control your demons."

"Sorry, pops, but I'll have to decline."

The room silenced when Bee spoke. The boy had a jovial expression on his face as he blatantly refused his father's order. Yugito shivered when the Raikage focused on his son. He may not have been looking at her, but the intensity in the man's glare was enough to make the Nibi container fear for her life.

"…What was that…?"

"Don't be so impatient." Bee smiled as he carelessly waved his hand. "Just because the training isn't working immediately doesn't mean we won't eventually get it! Right, Yugito?"

"A-Actually going to Kirigakure doesn't sound like a bad idea…" Yugito said quietly. "If the Mizukage can help us control our demons faster… and getting away from the village might not be so bad…"

Yagura could tell that the girl was ecstatic.

"…Well, that's fine if you go." Bee smiled, hiding his disappointment.

If she wanted to go, that was her choice. He could understand why she wanted to go. Yugito didn't deserve the harsh treatment she got from the villagers, and maybe going to Kiri with the Mizukage would be better for her. But Bee had to stay here.

He had his reasons. He was confident that he'd make the village understand on his own.

"So I'm fine with staying here. I'll continue with the training I have now." Bee smiled. "That's fine, right Pop?"

His only answer was a direct blow to the side of his face.

Yugito cried out as Bee was brought to the ground by his father's fist. The man's face contorted with fury. Yagura watched the exchange with raised eyebrows and mild interest.

Quite different from the Kazekage's relationship with his son…

"I WILL NOT TOLERATE THIS BEHAVIOR, BEE!" The Raikage roared. "Regardless of your feelings you are going to Kirigakure! It is already clear that you and Yugito will not be able to control the demons on your own!"

"I can too!" Bee retorted stubbornly as he glared at his father. "I'll work really hard, that way I'll be able to-!"

He was silenced when his father punched him again.

"Don't be foolish!" The Raikage boomed. "Do you know where that mentality has led to? Death and destruction for this village. The previous jinchuriki for the Hachibi was too weak and as a result the Hachibi took away many lives! I don't want the village to suffer because of your stubbornness!"

"B-Bee! If we go to Kiri we can learn to control our demons!" Yugito pleaded with him. "If we do that, maybe we can finally…!"

"They won't understand if it isn't through our own strength!" Bee said defiantly. "I'll show the village that Killer Bee is strong enough to control the Hachibi!"

"YOU FOOLISH, STUBBORN WHELP!"

"I'M NOT GOING!" Bee shouted as he avoided his father's fist and ran out the door. Yugito made a move to go after him but stopped when she heard the Raikage's voice.

"Stay where you are, Yugito." The man growled, making the girl freeze and retreat back to her seat. "I'll attend to Bee later, but you are going to-!"

"Raikage-sama."

The Raikage and Yugito turned towards Yagura who had remained silent up until now. He gazed at the Raikage without fear.

"May I?" Yagura asked, glancing towards Yugito.

The Raikage grunted and gave a slow nod, leaning back in his chair as Yagura knelt in front of Yugito so he could look her in the eye.

"Yugito, I am not going to force you to come with me, nor will I force Bee to either. The Raikage only acts this way because he wants what's best for his village." Yagura said gently as he spoke to the girl. "However, my offer still stands. But I want you to choose for yourself. I truly wish to help you if you'll allow it. I know the burdens you are faced with because of your being a jinchuriki. If you want, I'll help you. Do you really want to come to Kirigakure with me?"

She did her best to ignore the Raikage's piercing gaze as she gazed at Yagura. Yugito thought back to the exchange with Bee and the Raikage. She understood Bee's feelings, but she did not share them. She wanted the villagers to understand her, but she had doubts that they ever would. The Nibi container had always had a desire to escape, to get away from the glares and hate the village directed towards her.

And now, the Mizukage was giving her that chance to escape. With him, she was confident that she would be able to grow stronger, and maybe one day when she returned to the village, people would finally be able to accept her for who she truly was.

"I want to go with you, Mizukage-sama." Yugito said quietly.

"Very well then." Yagura nodded as he stood up. He turned towards the Raikage. "We'll be leaving tonight."

"Good." The Raikage said, giving Yugito an approving nod. "I'll expect a progress report after her first week of training. And as for my son…"

"Don't force him." Yagura protested lightly as he caught the dangerous look in the man's eyes. "He only wants people to recognize him using his own strength. You should be proud to have such a determined son."

"Hmph. What I need is another obedient son." The Raikage growled. Why couldn't Bee act more like his brother?

"Then if you'll excuse us."

Yagura gave the Raikage a light bow before leading Yugito out the door. As they walked down the hall, Yagura's thoughts shifted to the Hachibi's container.

He had a strong spirit. Yagura sort of wished he had been that strong when he was his age.

X.X.X.X.X

Bee grumbled to himself as he made his way through Kumo's streets. His harsh exchange with his father was still fresh in his head. His swollen cheek had already healed up thanks to his accelerated healing factor but he was still angry.

He had to admit though, he had been a little excited when his dad told him he'd be sending him away to Kiri. Bee had always wanted an excuse to get out of the village and see the world. It was one of the many reasons he had looked forward to becoming a ninja. But even after becoming a genin he was unable to leave the village due to his being a demon container.

This was a rare opportunity for him, so why did he refuse?

"I can't run away from my situation…" Bee smiled lightly as he kicked the ground.

He knew he was just being stubborn, but if he went to Kiri he felt like he'd be running away. He was well aware of the hatred the village had towards him and Yugito, and he had always tried his best to make the villagers see them as people rather than as monsters. He had worked hard to make the village understand him, and he wouldn't leave until the people had acknowledged him.

When the villager's saw his strength they would see him not as Bee the jinchuriki, but as Bee the person who wanted nothing more than to help his village.

"I should probably go see Yugito off at least." Bee said, grinning as he headed towards the village gates. It would probably be a while until he'd see her again.

Suddenly, Bee felt someone quickly approaching him from behind. Whipping his body around, Bee made a precise strike in front of him, catching his hooded assailant in the wrist and making him drop the kunai he had been holding. Bee glared at his attacker as he held onto his wrist.

"_An assassin?" _Bee thought.

His eyes widened under his shades when he saw the face the hood was trying to hide.

"_Motoi…?"_

No… it wasn't him. Motoi had always been his friend. He was the one person who understood him…

Motoi just stood there as Bee stared at him. The Hachibi container slowly brought his fist up and smiled at his friend, gesturing for him to bump fists like they had always done.

"D…Dammit, just die already!" Motoi shouted as he turned and ran away from Bee. "It's your fault my father's dead! Why can't a monster like you just leave us alone?"

Bee watched his friend leave with a melancholy look on his face. The boy wiped his eye and changed his destination.

He had to grab a few things before going to see Yugito off…

X.X.X.X.X

"Are you ready to go?"

Yugito looked back at the village one last time, searching for the one person she considered as her friend. She bit her lip as she waited for him to show up. She at least wanted to say goodbye before going to Kiri…

…And maybe try to convince be to go along with him. Things would be so lonely and boring without him…

"You can't force him to come with us." Yagura said monotonously as he took her pack from her. He didn't mind carrying it. "It's his own decision."

"I know that but…" Yugito trailed off. "I've always been with Bee-kun. He's always protected me. Things will be so different without him…"

"That boy is strong." Yagura commented. "He isn't afraid to stand up for himself, and his standing up to his father is testament to that. He'll grow strong on his own, and when you see him again, you'll be able to show him how strong you have become as well."

"…I hope so." Yugito nodded at the Mizukage with a small smile. She sighed. "I just wish I could have at least said goodbye…"

"Yo!"

Yagura and Yugito both turned to see Bee standing under the gates, happily waving to the both of them with a wide grin on his face. Quickly shaking off her surprise, Yugito ran towards him and launched herself into a hug.

"Bee!" Yugito cried happily. "I'm so glad I got to see you one last time before I left…"

Yagura stared at the boy who had appeared. Bee gazed up at the older man. Yagura's eyes were full of understanding.

"Well, we should probably get going then…" Yagura said as he turned to leave. Bee smiled after him.

"Yeah. Let's _go_, Yugi_to_." Bee rhymed as he grabbed her hand and lead her down the road.

"Wha…? Bee…?" Yugito muttered in confusion. She finally noticed the backpack he was carrying. Hers expression turned hopeful. "You're coming with us?"

"Yeah." Bee nodded. "I figure this village isn't ready for Killer Bee just yet. I'll get stronger so that one day people can see how awesome I am!"

"Me too!" Yugito cried enthusiastically as she clutched onto his side. "I'm so happy that you're coming with us!"

"And now, the both of you can grow stronger together." Yagura said as the duo followed behind him. He turned he head towards the Hachibi container. "Bee…?"

"Yeah?"

"If you work hard enough, the villagers may understand you and Yugito someday."

Bee smiled at the man's words. Maybe going to Kiri wouldn't be so bad. The jinchuriki smiled at the Mizukage.

"You had better make me really strong then!" Bee smiled. "I'll tame this creature inside _me_ and show my village the greatness that is Killer _Bee_!"

Yagura stared at him for a few moments before turning back towards the road in front of him. That was four jinchuriki, including himself. Only five remained, and meeting with them may prove to be a little more difficult than meeting with the Ichibi, Nibi, and Hachibi had been…

At least there was one he wouldn't have to take care of personally…

X.X.X.X.X-Somewhere in Kirigakure-X.X.X.X.X

Utakata silently blew some bubbles as he comfortably lied against a tree. The clear orbs floated around him helped create peaceful, almost colorful scenery. It sure helped distract him from the nightmare that had been recurring for him lately.

It was a nightmare about his sensei's betrayal.

The Rokubi container groaned and held his head as the memories haunted him. Because it was an event not far off in the past, the visions were still fresh in his head. The disgusting feeling of betrayal still lingered…

Utakata's eyes widened when he heard a cluster of bubbles pop. He immediately jumped out of the way just as a massive sword came down on his position.

The jinchuriki was given almost no time to recover as the sword came swinging in his direction. Despite its huge size, it came at him with surprising speed. Utakata was quick enough to dodge, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to escape its large base without injury.

Utakata saw his chance and immediately jumped backwards to put some distance between him and his attacker. As he jumped backwards, he brought his bubble blower to his lips and produced a stream of bubbles towards his assailant. Utakata turned and ran after hearing his explosive bubbles detonate.

"Strange…" Utakata murmured as he ran through the forest.

It wasn't strange that hunter-nin would attack him. He had many encounters with Kiri's special ops ever since he fled his village, and while the groups gave him trouble he always came out relatively unscathed. But the way this one had attacked, so blunt and without a care for stealth, coupled with the fact he should have encountered more ninja by now was very unusual.

Had Kiri decided to hire mercenaries to take him in?

"Found you!"

Utakata clicked his tongue in annoyance as he dodged the sword again. This time, he was able to clearly identify his attacker.

His eyes widened when he realized exactly what group that person belonged to.

"A swordsman!" Utakata gasped when he saw the emblem attached to the man's arm.

He was one of the Seven Ninja Swordsman, and one of the seven strongest men in the entire country of Kiri!

"So you must be the jinchuriki for the Rokubi no Namekuji." Zabuza smirked as he raised his Seversword, Kubikiribocho. "I was looking forward to a good match, so quit it with the running, will ya?"

"So, they've sent one of the ninja swordsmen after me…" Utakata murmured to himself. "I suppose that's flattering in a way."

"You jinchuriki are supposed to be a tough bunch. Show me what you've got!" Zabuza grinned underneath his mask, making a move towards Utakata again.

Just as Utakata was about to respond with an attack of his own, his body was suddenly pulled backwards against his own will.

"What the-!" Utakata gasped as his limbs were constrained and his body was pulled against a tree.

His dropped his bubble blower in surprise. He was shocked to notice Zabuza's movements had stopped and the man seemed to be struggling to move as well. It was then that the Rokubi container noticed what was holding him and Zabuza in place.

"_Wire…?" _Utakata thought as he noticed the string that tied him to the tree.

"Yare, yare. You get excited way too easily, Zabuza."

Utakata's eyes widened when a tall, thin man wearing an ANBU mask stepped out from behind a tree. He held a long, needlelike sword in his hand with wire attached to the end.

"_Another swordsman?" _Utakata thought frantically when he recognized the Nuibari and the emblem around the man's arm. He heard its wielder click his tongue at Zabuza.

"We weren't supposed to attack him, y'know." The tall man said tauntingly as he approached his fellow swordsman.

"Shut up, Kushimaru. I can do whatever the hell I feel like." Zabuza growled as he struggled against his constraints.

"Kushi-kun is right, Zabuza-chan." Another taunting voice came from behind Utakata. "We were just sent to deliver a message."

To Utakata's surprise and horror, another swordsman stepped out from behind the tree he was tied to. It was a beautiful young woman dragging the Hiramekarei behind her. She had long red hair and had a teasing smile on her face as she looked at her comrades.

Utakata felt fear as he watched the three swordsmen interact. He might have been able to take on one of them alone, but three at once? His situation had taken a turn for the worst.

What did they plan on doing with him…?

"Mei…" Zabuza glowered at the girl who giggled lightly in response. "Make Kushimaru untie me.

"Not until you promise to behave like a good boy!" Mei laughed. She glanced at the small instrument on the ground as her feet tapped against it. "Oh… what an interesting toy…"

"Hey, put that down!" Utakata demanded when the woman picked up his bubble blower. Mei just smiled at him.

"Hm? Is this yours?" Mei asked as she twirled it around between her fingers.

It had been a gift from his teacher, who had taught him his bubble jutsu. While he had nothing but hate and contempt for his teacher now, that pipe reminded him of the good times he had shared with his sensei. That, and it was what allowed him to perform his stronger techniques. It was his only weapon.

Regardless, he didn't want a stranger touching what belonged to him.

"…What do you want with me?" Utakata asked with a hostile edge. "Has the Mizukage sent you three to retrieve me because I'm too dangerous to be roaming about?"

News of his sensei's death and his transformation had already gotten around. It would explain why the Mizukage decided to send his swordsmen this time.

"If you were listening to me earlier, you'd know we're just here to deliver a message." Mei replied cheerfully.

Utakata eyed her suspiciously. She had mentioned something about a message now that he thought about it…

"...Why would the Mizukage send the swordsmen to do this?" Utakata asked. "Why not send regular ninja?"

"You would escape the moment you saw any Kiri ninja." Kushimaru pointed out. "That's why Mizukage-sama sent us to deliver the message. We were the only ones who could catch you without resorting to violence."

"Or rather, you and I were the only ones." Mei smiled at the tall man. "Zabuza-chan just tagged along."

"I had hoped for something more exciting when I heard you guys were sent to find the Rokubi container." Zabuza grumbled.

"We told you it was just a message. There was nothing else to hope for." Kushimaru pointed out exasperatedly.

"Whatever. Could you untie me already?" Zabuza asked. Kushimaru's expressionless mask stared at him for a bit. The man rolled his eyes. "And I won't try to attack the jinchuriki. Happy?"

Kushimaru nodded and cut the wire with his longsword. Zabuza glared at the taller man as he rubbed a part of his arm where the wire had uncomfortably dug into.

"Made it a little tight, don't you think?"

"I could have stitched you to a tree instead. Would that have been better?" Kushimaru said sarcastically.

"Boys, boys, stop fighting." Mei scolded the both of them when they gripped the hilts of their swords.

"He started it." Kushimaru pointed out immaturely.

"I started it?" Zabuza said incredulously. "Let me tell you something…!"

"Um, excuse me?"

The three swordsmen turned towards the boy who was still tied to a tree.

"…What was the message?" Utakata asked, annoyed that he had been forgotten.

"Right, right." Mei nodded hastily and pulled out a slip of paper from her pocket. She walked forward and placed it in the fold of Utakata's sash and stepped away. "There you go."

Utakata blinked when she stepped away and started walking back to her teammates.

"That's it?" Utakata asked dumbly. He hadn't believed they had just come to deliver a message at first, but that seemed to be the case. Didn't they want to bring him back to Kiri?

"Sorry for disappointing you, but that's all we were asked to do. We were also ordered not to harm you if we could help it." Mei smiled back at him. "Just be sure to read the message and reply to the Mizukage soon, okay?"

The three swordsmen turned to leave. Utakata panicked when he noticed the Hiramekarei wielder still had his weapon in her hand.

"W-Wait! What about my bubble blower!"

"I'm keeping it." Mei responded, laughing at the teen's gaping expression. "If you want it back so badly, pay a visit to the Mizukage sometime soon. I'm sure that's what he wants."

Utakata struggled and tried to break free, but by the time his constraints had loosened enough to the point where he could escape, the swordsmen were already long gone. The Rokubi container grabbed the piece of paper from his sash belt and quickly read it.

He was surprised by the shortness of the letter, and by the request written on it.

_Come to the Mizukage's Tower. I promise no harm will come to you. There are some people I'd like you to meet._

"…He can't be serious." Utakata muttered in disbelief.

Such a blunt request, and one he wouldn't answer to unless he had a damn good reason. The Mizukage had sent three of the Mist swordsmen, the best ninja in the village, to deliver a small message with a request he would refuse? Was the current Mizukage right in the head?

Utakata was about to shred the little piece of paper to pieces until the signature caught his eye.

_From the container of the Sanbi no Kyodaigame, the three-tailed demon beast._

Utakata was a little confused by this. He had thought this was a message from the Mizukage. What was with the signature? Another jinchuriki had wrote the letter? But then why would the Mizukage…

Utakata's eyes widened when realization dawned on him. His mouth fell open in shock.

"No… the Mizukage couldn't be a…" Utakata whispered.

He had to go to Kirigakure and meet with the Mizukage now, if not to confirm his suspicions about this new information regarding the Mizukage but so he could at least get his bubble blower back from that flippant swordswoman.

X.X.X.X.X-Takigakure-X.X.X.X.X

Fu trudged through the empty streets with her hands inside her pockets. A few stolen candies and an apple were clutched in her hands. She promptly raised her hand and took a bite out of the red fruit.

"Hmph. Serves them right." Fu scoffed, nodding to herself in satisfaction.

They refused to let her buy food from their store, so she had done the next best thing. It was nothing new to her. She had stolen food before. She'd have to run for awhile, stay away from the area she had stolen from for about a week, maybe hide from a few ninja or two, but all of it would be water under the bridge soon. She didn't mind spending a couple of days in the forest and away from the village.

Besides, this was the only thing that ever brought her any excitement and joy in her life. Getting back at those who mistreated her, even over something small like this, was a feeling she savored.

"Hello there."

Fu stopped in her tracks when she saw someone standing in front of her. She gasped and dropped her food when she saw someone was approaching her. She immediately turned to run, but was held back by the strong hand that grasped her shoulder.

"Hold on a minute." The man said. "I only want to talk."

"Get off me!" Fu demanded, punching the man in the gut and tearing his hand off her shoulder.

Yagura grunted as he rubbed his stomach. This girl had an edge despite being so young, and that a surprisingly hard punch. He could imagine what had made her act like this towards strangers though.

Fu smiled when she couldn't hear the man's footsteps behind her. Looks like her punch had done more than she thought. She liked to think she was stronger than most girls her age.

She gasped and fell down when she bumped into someone.

"It's rude to run away from someone who's talking to you." Yagura said as he bent down to help her up. "And punching a stranger isn't common courtesy either…"

"G-Go away!" Fu shouted, squirming away from the man and broke out in another sprint.

Yagura stared tiredly after the girl. This was getting him nowhere. He quickly caught up to the Nanabi container and grabbed onto her arm, making sure she couldn't escape again.

"Let me go!" Fu screamed, throwing kicks and punches at the man who accepted all of them without flinching.

Her attacks were strong for one her age, Yagura noted, but he barely felt them. He could guess that this container defended herself when she was attacked. It wouldn't help her situation any, but he was glad that despite her harsh treatment she still had the courage to stand up to those who tried to do her harm.

Fu's desperate punches and kicks gradually started to weaken and slow down. Eventually, her attacks ceased and the girl just stood there with her head bowed towards the ground. Her minty green hair fell over her eyes as she breathed heavily, tired from throwing so many kicks and punches.

"You done?" Yagura asked, arching an eyebrow at the girl.

She couldn't get away. She probably understood that now.

"…What do you want?" Fu muttered angrily. "You want to try to slay the 'demon' too?"

Yagura just stared down at her as he listened. Her tone was harsh and her arm shook as he held onto it.

"I hate you people… I hate everyone…" Fu growled, still shaking. She was scared, even though she didn't want to show it. Yagura could tell though. "The ones that always attack me… the ones that laugh as they hurt me… you're the monsters, not me…!"

The bitterness, hatred and fear in her voice did not go unnoticed by Yagura. This girl had spirit, but she had an intense hatred for humanity as well. He honestly couldn't blame her. She had a good reason to believe that the world was her enemy.

But now, he could be her comrade in this harsh world.

"Do you want to leave this place?"

Fu's head shot up. She gave him an incredulous stare with eyes full of surprise and disbelief.

"I can take you away from here." Yagura told her without an expression. "I won't hurt you like the villagers have. If you'll allow it, I want to help you."

"…Why?" Fu asked in a guarded tone.

"…Because we're the same." Yagura replied.

Takigakure was a small country with no appointed kage. It had a leader who helped organize the country, but he had no real say in what villagers could and could not do. No one would be able to stop him if the Mizukage decided to take Fu away.

Hell, most of them would probably be grateful for it.

"…You're not from this village?" Fu asked suspiciously.

"No." Yagura replied.

"…Do you live somewhere far away?"

"Relatively."

Yagura let go of her arm after he had said his piece. He wasn't going to force the Nanabi container to go anywhere with him if she didn't want to. Still, she hadn't ran away yet so that must've meant she was a least thinking about it. Fu stared at the Sanbi container for a few minutes before finally speaking.

"…You mean it? You'll really take me away from here?" Fu asked.

"Yes."

Slowly and tentatively, Fu extended her hand towards Yagura who silently watched her. The girl's hand was shaking. She kept reaching out until her small fingers wrapped themselves around his motionless hand.

"…Okay." Fu mumbled. "Let's go."

Yagura held onto to her small hand as he led her out of the village. She had been rather quiet, but Yagura was perceptive enough to tell that the girl was overjoyed.

X.X.X.X.X-Somewhere in Iwagakure-X.X.X.X.X

Yagura walked through the forest at a slow pace. He was walking on a small trail he had found hidden on the main road. Sneaking into Iwagakure had been a little tricky, but in the end he had no trouble so far.

Plus, it was rare for him to have a challenge.

Unlike Suna and Kumo, Yagura wouldn't have to exchange greetings with the Tsuchikage to meet the two jinchuriki that Iwa housed. From what he knew, both of Iwa's demon containers had left the village on their own accord. While this would save Yagura a lot of trouble, it also meant that the Kage had no actual say in what the jinchurikis did with themselves. That would make convincing the Gobi and Yonbi containers to go with him to Kiri a little difficult.

The calming sound of rushing water sounded a few yards away. Yagura eventually came to a clearing that had a large lake within it. Water flowed down a waterfall that dominated the setting. The atmosphere had an unusual but calm feel to it.

It was definitely the kind of place Yagura liked.

The Mizukage glanced around the vicinity with curious eyes. He made a point of making himself seem at ease and relaxed so as to reassure the person watching him knew that he meant no harm.

He might've not been able to see his observer, but Yagura knew that someone was watching him.

The Mizukage pulled out a small slip of paper from his pocket and placed it on a rock in front of him. He scanned the area one more time before raising his voice.

"An invitation." Yagura said loudly. "To the jinchuriki of the Yonbi no Saru."

With his business done, Yagura turned on his heel and walked back towards the road he came from. He probably could have done more, but from what he knew of the Yonbi container this was most likely the best course of action to take. Avoid conflict, and leave it up to him whether or not he wished to come meet him himself.

"An interesting proposal."

Yagura didn't flinch at the man's voice. He just continued to walk even as the speaker placed his elbow on his shoulder for support as he read the letter.

"I had heard rumors, but I never believed that the Mizukage was actually a jinchuriki like me." Roshi smiled as he leaned against the Sanbi container. He waved the letter in front of Yagura's face, chuckling lightly at the incredibility of it all. "What would I gain from going to Kiri with you?"

"You want to learn how to control your demon, yes?" Yagura replied coolly. "I may be able to help you with that."

"…Is that so?" Roshi quieted at the offer. He smiled at the smaller man as he tucked away his letter. "Then I suppose it wouldn't hurt to go. And I'll admit I'm a little curious to meet the other jinchuriki as well…"

Yagura didn't respond to the man. He was a sharp one. Roshi continued to chuckle.

"I suppose that's an impulse we both share, huh?" Roshi grinned. His carefree expression changed to one that was much graver. "Hey, what exactly do you hope to accomplish by doing this?"

Yagura was glanced at the man once before turning back to the road ahead of him. Roshi frowned at him.

"Do you really think you can help us?

Yagura's face was expressionless.

"I hope so."

X.X.X.X.X

"Disgusting…"

Han grunted as he kicked the dead Iwa nin to the ground. He spat on the corpse once before glaring at the few remaining Iwa nin trying to escape. A thick, hot mist surrounded the area. The Gobi container raised his hands as clouds of steam surrounded the fleeing ninja. Han smiled with satisfaction as their tortured screams filled the air.

After their screams died down, the steam that filled the air was sucked and collected into the small openings of the small, makeshift furnace Han wore on his back. He nodded at the dead bodies, lingering on their red, blistering features before bending down to pick up the red plates that were placed next to his feet.

"Ah, good…" Han noted with some relief as he picked up his armor. "It doesn't look like any of them were…"

He paused when he noticed a long crack on one of them. Several smaller cracks and chips were on a few separate plates. The jinchuriki's eye twitched as he glared at the defects in his armor.

"Fucking hell…!" Han seethed, wishing he had something or someone to take his frustration out on.

He had been so careful this time! The ninja hadn't even gotten close to him! Why couldn't he get through one battle without having one of his armor plates break?

"Dammit!" Han cursed as he kicked one of the bodies. "At this rate it'll take years before I complete the rest of my armor! Don't you fools have anything better to do than chase after me?"

Not that he'd get an answer from a dead man. Han growled angrily he made a move to leave the area.

"Well, isn't this something…"

Han's eyes widened when he heard someone's voice from behind him. Had he missed one of the ninja? He whirled around to face his new enemy.

He was puzzled when he noticed the Kirigakure plate that was sewn into the newcomer's shirt.

"The jinchuriki of the Gobi no Irukauma." Yagura said as he nodded his head as the teen. "You're Han, I presume?"

The jinchuriki of the five-tailed dolphin horse, and quite possibly the most violent and hostile out of all the demon containers.

"What's a Kirigakure ninja doing in Iwagakure?" Han asked, glaring at the man. He shook his head and smiled. "Well, it's not like I care. I was looking for something to take my frustration out on…"

Yagura jumped out of the way as steam was blasted towards him. The Mizukage watched as steam flowed out of the furnace attached to the Gobi container's back. The teen smiled cruelly as the area was filled with the warm haze.

"Die."

The Sanbi container made no attempt to move as the steam congested around him. Han frowned at this. Most of his enemies would have put on a show before succumbing to his technique.

His eyes widened when he saw the steam being sucked into the mist ninja's mouth.

"W-Wha…?"

Han was given no time to react. A torrent of water spewed forth from Yagura's mouth and swept Han up in a large wave. The jinchuriki cried out as the water crashed into him. He noted that the water was extremely hot and almost scalded his skin. He crashed into a tree as the torrent died down.

"That's an interesting jutsu you have…" Yagura commented as he breathed on his hand. His breath was very warm. "The only reason your steam jutsu didn't work on me was because I was able to turn the moisture into water, even after it had entered my body."

"Damn you…"

Han's eyes widened in alarm when he noticed one of his armor plates in the man's hands.

"And this is interesting too." Yagura noted as he ran his hand across the plate's smooth surface. He turned it over as he studied the armor piece. "Did you make this yourself?"

"G-Give that back!" Han cried frantically as he quickly got to his feet. "Do you have any idea how long it took to make that?"

"Quite a while if these distractions are so constant." Yagura replied, glancing at one of the dead Iwa ninja.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Yagura, Mizukage of Kirigakure." Yagura said, bowing lightly at the boy. "Jinchuriki of the Sanbi no Kyodaigame.

The Gobi container's mouth fell open in shock, but Han's expression quickly turned back to hostile when his eyes focused on his plate again.

"Well, I don't care who you are…" Han growled menacingly. "If there's even one crack it that plate I'll…!"

"Hear me out, won't you?" Yagura said, holding up his hand to silence the teen. "I would like to give you an invitation."

Han glared at the Mizukage.

"What?"

"Come to Kirigakure with me." Yagura said softly, extending his hand towards the boy. "I want to help my fellow jinchuriki if they'll allow it. I won't force you to come, but I'd like you to consider my offer."

Han stared at the man with a shocked expression for a few moments before responding.

"…You can't be serious." Han deadpanned. "What reason could you have?"

"Do I need a reason to want to help the other jinchuriki?"

"Nothing in life is ever so simple." Han stated. "If it were, humans wouldn't be as stupid as they are now."

Yagura frowned slightly at this. The way Han talked, especially the way he said the word 'human', sounded like he was disgusted by the word. The considerable amount of venom and contempt in the boy's voice and the way he spat out the word…

It was a fact. This boy truly hated humanity.

"…Well, regardless of what reasons or motives you think I may or may not have, do you really have anything to lose by coming with me?" Yagura asked. "Aren't you curious about your demon?"

"It hasn't bothered me."

"I can teach you to use its power if you want. It will help you grow stronger."

"I'm already strong."

"Well then…" Yagura said, holding up the red plate in his hands. "How about a quiet workplace? You can spend all the time you want making your armor, and I can even provide you with the supplies you need to make it. How does that sound?"

Han thought for a moment. The offer was rather appealing, but he wasn't dumb enough to take an offer that seemed to good to be true from someone he had only just met.

"What's the catch?"

"You'll have to put up with me for a while." Yagura replied. "I may ask you to do a few things that might seem distasteful, but it will take time to complete you armor, right? Giving you a place to stay, providing you with supplies… It's a fair deal, no?"

"…Why should I trust you?" Han asked suspiciously.

When it came down to it, people only looked out for themselves. It was a philosophy Han believed in. No matter what a person did, there was no such thing as good will. Someone would benefit in some why. Han did NOT want to become the tool the Tsuchikage wanted him to be.

"I won't hurt you or ask you to become my servant." Yagura said as he extended his hand towards Han again. "Because we are the same, I thought I would give you some assistance."

Han slowly walked towards him. He stared down at Yagura's hand for a moment before slapping it away. The Gobi container glared at the Sanbi container.

"Both of us may be jinchuriki, but we are NOT the same. Don't you dare compare me to you." Han seethed, his brown eyes flashing red for a brief moment. Yagura maintained his stoic expression as Han stepped away from him. "…But just so long as you don't bother me and stay the hell out of my way, I don't mind going to Kiri with you. Are we clear?"

Yagura nodded and started walking away from the bloody field. Han followed him at his own pace, casting suspicious looks towards the Mizukage.

"Seriously though, what are you planning…?"

Yagura sighed. Why couldn't he believe that he just wanted to help the other jinchuriki?

He certainly hoped the last jinchuriki would be more understanding…

X.X.X.X.X-Konohagakure-X.X.X.X.X

Naruto sighed miserably as he walked down the streets of Konoha. He did his best to ignore the glares that burned into his back, but when the whole village was giving him that look it was extremely hard to just brush it off. Naruto picked up his pace when one drunken villager threw a broken bottle at him.

The jinchuriki opened the door to his apartment room and collapsed on his bed. Tears fell from his eyes as he buried his face inside his pillowed. He didn't cry, but tears continued to stream down his face. He slowly turned his head towards the calendar that hung on the wall right next to his dresser.

His birthday was tomorrow…

Before he had decided to go take a walk, he could tell the village was avidly and excitedly preparing for the festival held on October 10th to pay their respects to the Yondaime who stopped the Kyuubi no Yoko from destroying the village years ago and to the deceased ninja who fought hard to protect the village. The entire village was eager to throw their annual party for the great man.

However, it wasn't a party Naruto would be invited to or welcomed at.

October 10th may have been his birthday, but Naruto hated the day. He didn't have anyone to spend time with, he wouldn't be opening presents, and nobody would wish him a happy birthday. The only gift he would probably end up receiving was a pummeling from the villagers who would get too high and drunk off the festivities and seek some entertainment in the form of a blonde haired punching bag.

Naruto curled up on his bed as he tried to go to sleep, dreading what tomorrow would bring. He closed his eyes tightly as he wished the bad thoughts away, silently praying in his mind. Once, just once, he wished this festival would be different.

He wanted someone to be there for him when tomorrow came around.

* * *

A/N: Everyone has been gathered except Naruto. Why? This chapter was getting too damn long for me to post everything at once. There was a lot to include. Thusly, the next chapter is already written up. This is a fun story to write…

I've already got plans for how the story will progress and how the conflict will arise. For now, we will focus on getting to know the containers and getting them situated with each other and in Kiri, slowly moving forward until Madara (No, Yagura isn't under his mind control yet) and Akatsuki come into the picture. There will still be plenty of action I hope, and you may learn some interesting things about the containers.

So as stated before, the second chapter is ready to be posted. Depending on the response I get from this chapter depends on when I'll post the next one. If I get more reviews from this chapter than I did from the prologue, I'll post the next chapter immediately. I need reviews for this chapter. Give me your opinion on how things are shaping up.

Anyway, thanks for the early support you've all shown me. I really appreciate it. I'll do my best not to disappoint you. Until next time.

Kiiam


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

A/N: Hm… Why has this taken so long to post? Why have I been gone so long? Why should I bore you guys with the answers when you could be reading this new chapter? We may never know…

Putting that aside for now, I am sorry for taking so long to post this. I have my reasons for being absent but nobody should care about that. I'm back now and I'll (hopefully) start to post chapters as frequently as I used to. I'm proud of how this chapter turned out and I hope you'll all like it to. It's pretty lengthy as well, which should make up for the wait. Naruto meets Yagura and all the containers will finally meet in this new chapter. Enjoy.

* * *

**Introductions**

Naruto sighed miserably as he walked through the village. It was early in the afternoon and he had just finished having lunch as Ichiraku's, practically the only place that would sell him food. Now, he was on his way to the Hokage's tower to see the old man. Naruto admired the colorful scenery around him as he glanced at the banners, balloons, and stalls that now adorned the village streets.

October 10th, a day of celebration. It was the day to honor the Yondaime who had defeated the dreaded nine tailed fox demon, the Kyuubi no Yoko and saved the village. Naruto shared a birthday with the anniversary of the legendary man's death. It should have meant that today was a day to look forward to. Surrounded by your friends, opening presents, eating cake, smiles from your loved ones…

But no. Naruto had none of that.

The young child had absolutely no friends. Whenever he tried to make some they would either chase him away, and even if they didn't their parents would scream and shout until he left, often getting physical if he lingered around. Everyone hated him with a burning passion.

Naruto had absolutely no idea why. Whenever he walked into town, the people only glared at him, occasionally throwing things at him or shoving him away. He had been beaten before, but his birthday was the most dangerous because it was the only day where the villagers became drunk and brave enough to seek him out and chase him all of the village just so they could beat him down, regardless of what the Hokage would do to them later.

He wouldn't say it out loud, but he thought it was unfair not to know why he was treated this way. Whenever he asked the Hokage he always avoided the question. Had he done something so wrong as to warrant the entire village's hatred?

Still, Naruto had wised up this year. The villagers would come to his apartment like they would every year, but he would be long gone before they arrived. He wouldn't lock the door and cower in a corner like he had done before. All he had to do was evade the villagers until the festival ended. Naruto thought that the best way to do that was to ask the hokage for protection during the festival. The man was the only one who was ever nice to him, and there's no way he would turn him down when he was seeking his help, right?

Naruto expression turned to one of unease and worry when he saw two chunin guards standing outside the gates that led to the hokage's tower. Both of their bored, carefree expressions turned to looks of disdain when they noticed the "demon" approaching.

"What do you want?" One guard asked harshly, making Naruto jump at the intensity in his voice.

"Um… I'd like to speak to the hokage if that's okay…" Naruto asked timidly.

"He's in a meeting with someone very important right now." The guard bit back. "Hokage-sama will not be seeing anyone else right now."

Naruto panicked. If he couldn't see the hokage, then what would happen during the festival? Who would help him…?

"Still, why would he come here?" The guard muttered to his partner. "We're not going to war, are we?"

"Don't be stupid." The other guard replied, rolling his eyes a bit. "We're in peacetime. Besides, I hear Kirigakure has its own problems right now anyway. Maybe he came to ask the Hokage for help?"

"But couldn't he have sent an ambassador for that? Why would he come in person…?"

"Excuse me?"

The small voice brought their attention back to the jinchuriki in front of them. The guards sneered at the boy.

"What? We told you that the Hokage isn't seeing anyone."

"Well, I was thinking that maybe I could wait here until his meeting is done." Naruto smiled cheerfully at his idea. "That would be okay, right?"

He jumped when a kunai embedded itself in the ground before him.

"Oops. Must've dropped it." One guard chuckled as Naruto's expression turned fearful. The other guard didn't share his good humor.

"I said he's not seeing anyone now!" The other guard shouted at he took a menacing step towards the boy. "So why are you still here? Scram!"

Naruto did just that. He quickly ran away from the guards like his life depended on it. The guards nodded in satisfaction as they watched the demon run.

"Who lets that thing into the village anyway?" The guard muttered. "Someone should just kill it already…"

"Yeah. We'd all be better off if that thing was gone." The other guard agreed. He glanced up at the hokage's tower. "But seriously, what do you think the Mizukage is here for…?

X.X.X.X.X

Inside the Hokage's tower, Hiruzen Sarutobi was chatting with a most unexpected guest. Even as they were making small talk, the man couldn't help but wonder what had brought the Mizukage to Konoha on this particular day.

"I suppose I can understand that." Sarutobi smiled kindly at his visitor. "Kirigakure has had many troubles as of late."

"Can you?" Yagura said as he arched an eyebrow at the old man. "Konoha is having a period of great prosperity. I'm sure Konoha's little spats can hardly compare to what Kirigakure is going through."

"Believe it or not, Konoha does have its own problems, Yagura-san." The Hokage chuckled uneasily at the man's retort. Yagura had always been a little blunt and distant compared to the other Kages. "But I'm sure you didn't come here to discuss issues that have nothing to do with Konoha. I also doubt you're here to celebrate the seventh anniversary of our fourth Hokage's death. What is the real reason for your visit?"

"_Ah yes, Yondaime and Kushina died on this day…" _Yagura reminded himself. Maybe he'd pay his respects before he went back to Kirigakure.

Yagura leaned back in his chair, staring deep into the older Kage's eyes. He would make his request brief and simple, just like the others.

"You know I am the jinchuriki for the three-tails, don't you?" Yagura asked the man. He could see the slight discomfort in the man's eyes when he mentioned this.

"Yes…" Sarutobi nodded slowly. "But I fail to see what that has to do with…"

"And I understand that Konoha houses the jinchuriki of the nine-tailed fox, yes?"

Sarutobi's eyes widened when he mentioned this. Yagura expected the reaction and held his hand up when the older Kage was about to speak.

"I am a jinchuriki, so excuse me if I'm a little curious about those with similar conditions to mine. Even if you try to keep it a secret from the other villages, I can easily figure out where the other demon containers are located." Yagura said solemnly as he gazed at the hokage.

"…I see." Sarutobi murmured, casting a suspicious glance at the Mizukage. "Do you have some business with Konoha's jinchuriki…?"

"I've come with an offer." Yagura continued. "I would like to ask for your permission to take the Kyuubi container to Kirigakure, with me."

Sarutobi's eyes widened in surprise at the man's request. If Yagura hadn't looked so serious he would have thought he was telling a bad joke. That was the reason he had come to Konoha? Surely he didn't believe that he would hand Naruto over to him if he just asked, did he? What reason did Yagura have for asking this?

"If… if you don't mind me asking, why do you want to take the Kyuubi container to Kirigakure?" Sarutobi asked as he regained his composure.

"The jinchuriki of the Kyuubi is young, and he may not fully understand what's inside him." Yagura explained. "If you'll allow it, I'd like the opportunity to train the boy so that he can develop and use the power that is within him. I'll send you reports of his progress if you wish, and you can recall him back to Konoha at any time."

"I'm sorry, Yagura-san." The Hokage cut in quickly. "But I'm going to have to deny your request. Not only am I against the idea but the council would never agree to it."

"…Very well then." Yagura nodded, disappointed but understanding. He knew that Sarutobi must have his reasons. "Then I'd at least like to talk with the boy before I leave. I'm curious if he has any problems he'd like to discuss with me…"

"No, you misunderstand me, Yagura-san." Sarutobi interrupted him again. "I am forbidding you from having any contact with the Kyuubi container."

"…Why?" Yagura asked suspiciously, wondering why the hokage seemed so adamant against it. "I have full control over my demon. I would think that you'd welcome the idea since my knowledge of the bijuu could be beneficial to the boy."

"It's not that. It's just…" The man hesitated under the man's expressionless stare. The Hokage took a deep sigh before continuing.

His next words actually shocked Yagura.

"…He doesn't know that he's the container of the Kyuubi no Yoko." Sarutobi announced to Yagura's astonishment. "Our container, Naruto, isn't aware of his jinchuriki status."

The Mizukage blinked.

"…Come again?"

"The jinchuriki of the Kyuubi has no idea that he even is a jinchuriki." The Hokage repeated.

Yagura just stared at the man across from him in mild surprise. Eight years old today and the boy didn't know that he was the host of the most powerful bijuu that had ever existed? Sarutobi was keeping this a secret from the village?

Yagura couldn't help but wonder what reason the man could possibly have.

"Why keep this from him?" Yagura asked, interested in what reasons the man could have for keeping the issue a secret. "Are the villagers also unaware?"

"No…" Sarutobi answered reluctantly, again surprising the Mizukage. "After the Yondaime, Minato, sealed the Kyuubi inside Naruto an announcement was made to the village about Naruto's condition and that he was the jinchuriki for the Kyuubi no Yoko. Most every adult in the village is aware of what the boy is."

A cold pit formed in Yagura's stomach upon hearing these words. This situation sounded too familiar for his liking. He tentatively asked his next question.

"…How is Naruto treated within the village?"

Sarutobi chose to remain silent despite the intense look the Mizukage was giving him. Yagura, in a rare moment of unease, gripped the edges of his seat.

"How do the villagers treat Naruto, Sarutobi-san?" Yagura repeated his question.

"…You should know the answer to that." Sarutobi replied softly, not having the heart to give the man a direct answer.

"Then that means… and the boy doesn't even know why…" Yagura clenched his fists together as he thought of the boy's sufferings. He had no doubt of the Kyuubi container's harsh treatment based on the hokage's words, and the boy didn't even have a reason for his treatment.

Surely the Hokage was aware of how cruel that was!

"Sarutobi-san, do you realize how foolish that is?" Yagura asked. Even if it was in his regular, toneless voice you could still hear the incredibility in it. "How can you keep that a secret? The boy is burdened with the village's greatest responsibility, and you won't even give him a reason for his mistreatment?"

"It's not what I wanted, it isn't what anyone wanted, but I have faith that someday the villagers will come to understand that Naruto isn't the monster everyone makes him out to be. He is a very courageous, exuberant boy with a smile that would win anyone's heart." Sarutobi smiled as the thought of the boy. "Someday, Naruto Uzumaki will be seen as one of the greatest ninja in Konoha that has ever lived. I know it."

Yagura was dulled to the man's words as the Kyuubi container's name kept on repeated itself in his mind. Naruto Uzumaki…? Where had he…?

His eyes widened when it suddenly dawned on him. Yagura slammed his hands down on the Hokage's desk, making the man jump.

"The jinchuriki for the Kyuubi is Kushina's son?" Yagura shouted in a manner that was most uncharacteristic for him.

Sarutobi was surprised when he heard the Mizukage mention Minato's wife. It was only after Yagura had said her name that the Hokage remembered that Yagura had known Kushina when she was alive. They were both jinchuriki, and Yagura and Kushina had known each other because of that…

"Yes. Naruto is Minato and Kushina's son." Sarutobi affirmed.

"That's…" Yagura quickly calmed himself down as he slowly connected the dots. "Then… Naruto has someone looking after him right? Is Jiraiya with him?"

"…He's taking care of some personal business outside the village." Sarutobi answered slowly.

Yagura just stared at him. Jiraiya had abandoned his godson?

"Where is Tsunade?"

"She's still mourning."

Even his godmother had left him?

"Minato's remaining students?"

"I… I couldn't possibly ask Kakashi since he has so much on his mind nowadays… and Rin doesn't actually know about…" The Hokage trailed off, growing increasingly more uncomfortable with each second that passed.

Yagura couldn't believe it. He suddenly felt extreme contempt for the man in front of him.

"…Have you done _anything _for Kushina's son?"

Yagura piercing gaze and harsh words cut the man in front of him.

"I've done my best to look out for him!" Sarutobi retorted tightly. "I've told the villagers countless times that Naruto isn't what they think he is! I've punished those who've hurt him and I'm pushing them to see Naruto for who he really is. Someday they'll see that-!"

"And you've forbidden the villagers from speaking about the Nine-tails in hopes that the younger ones will not grow to hate Naruto like the villagers have." Yagura pointed out, seeing Sarutobi's intentions. "None of them even know that the boy they antagonize is Minato's son, do they?"

"If I revealed that he was Minato's son then he wouldn't be safe from his enemies?" Sarutobi argued. "I wouldn't be surprised if Iwa started a war just to get their hands on him."

"Which is why you gave him Kushina's last name, but that's no excuse for keeping his condition a secret, least of all from the jinchuriki himself…" Yagura returned in an accusing tone. "Is this what Minato and Kushina would have wanted for their son, Hiruzen?"

"You think I don't know that?" Sarutobi shouted, finally losing his cool. "Minato and Kushina died protecting Naruto, knowing that sealing the Kyuubi inside him would lead to a lonely life. But Minato and Kushina both had faith that Naruto would grow up to be a hero that the village would look up to!"

"They must've also had faith that those who were close to Naruto would take care of him." Yagura said pointedly, making Sarutobi stiffen at the accusation. "I wonder how they would feel knowing that their friends couldn't even be bothered to look after their only son."

"I… I want to do more for the boy, I really do. But there's a limit to what I can accomplish without inciting the villagers or angering the council. I want to make Naruto happy, but I also need to act in the village's best interests." Sarutobi said in a deflated voice. "It… it's not what I wanted…"

"No, I'm sure it isn't." Yagura agreed even as he glared at the Hokage. "But that doesn't make what you're doing right. You put too much faith in the village, Sarutobi-san. Humans will always fear him because of what he is. What you're hoping for probably won't be achieved until years in the future, and only if Kushina's son is _extremely_ lucky."

"Yagura-san…?"

"I cannot agree with this, and as a fellow jinchuriki I feel that I have a right to speak my mind regarding this issue." Yagura said solemnly as his purple eyes glared into Sarutobi's. "From what I'm hearing, Naruto's childhood shares too many similarities to mine. The villagers persecute him, he doesn't understand why the village hates him, and the few people who are kind to him refuse to tell him the reason for his mistreatment. At this rate he may grow up to be like me…"

Yagura shook his head. That was something he didn't want Kushina's son to become. Out of all the jinchuriki, he had thought that the Kyuubi's container would be the most taken care of. Some prejudice was to be expected, but he had always thought Sarutobi to be a kind, righteous man who was sympathetic to another's cries for help. To his disappointment and disgust, that didn't seem to be the case. He gazed back at the Hokage.

"…Or he'll grow to hate the village and everyone in it. If this continues, he may very well end up becoming the monster everyone is making him out to be." Yagura said darkly. "And the bijuu know very well that a child's mind is easily influenced."

"That won't happen." Sarutobi shook his head. "I, and this village, will support Naruto when he needs it."

Yagura had to keep himself from laughing at that. The man's faith in the village was admirable and delusional.

"Support from the village? No…" Yagura shook his head. "The village has already abandoned him. Most would probably celebrate if the child were to disappear. I'm surprised the child hasn't fled by himself, seeing as his family has already abandoned him."

This was enough to bring out and expression of anger from the Hokage. He glared at the Mizukage.

"…I'm going to have to ask you to leave, Yagura-san."

"…Hmph." Yagura returned his glare and got up from his seat. "I had always thought you to be the wisest out of the Kages, Sarutobi-san. I would have never imagined that you would be so foolish, bowing to the council's wishes like this. To disgrace Minato and Kushina's memory like this…"

Sarutobi felt his anger increase.

"Leave."

"But first, a warning." Yagura said, stopping as he placed his hand on the door. "Isolation and loneliness will only breed hatred, sadness, and anger. All of these negative emotions will stir the beast within Naruto, until it slowly uses his sorrow, his fury, and his hatred to corrupt and change him into the demon everyone in this village fears. I should know. It almost happened to me…"

"I forbid you from seeing Naruto." Sarutobi cautioned the man. "If I hear that you've gone anywhere near him…"

"I understand." Yagura said shortly before opening the door. "Pardon my intrusion during this time of celebration…"

Sarutobi let out a frustrated sigh as his face collapsed into his hands. He rubbed his temples as his angry emotions flared within him.

Though, he couldn't tell who he was angrier at. Yagura, or himself.

X.X.X.X.X

Naruto ducked inside an alleyway when he heard the drunken voices of a few men somewhere down the street. He shook and waited for the men to walk away, only coming out when he could hear their voices no more.

"This could last all night…" Naruto moaned miserably as he came out of hiding. "Maybe I should try and find Jiji-san…"

He jumped back into his hiding spot when he spotted another group of who were passing by. A couple of them were laughing and whistling as they called out to the "demon" they were trying to find.

It was almost night time when the festivities within the village had started. Naruto had returned to his dingy apartment, knowing that there was no way he'd be welcome to the party the villagers were throwing. Unfortunately, he had found a small mob waiting for him at his apartment, just like he had predicted. Naruto had gotten away before they noticed him, but now they were roaming around the outskirts of the village, hunting for the demon the hated so much. Naruto sighed miserably after he heard the evil men leave. He looked up at the starry night sky.

He wished someone, anyone, to save him from this pain…

"Well, well… look at what we've got here…"

Naruto froze when he heard chuckling voices behind him. The boy's expression was one of terror when he saw three men step out of the shadows. Naruto cried out in fear when he recognized their attire.

"_NINJAS!"_

The blonde didn't think, he just ran. He didn't bother looking back as he ran down the streets like a madman, desperate to get away from the men who were chasing him.

This was a hunt, and those ninja weren't the villagers. If they caught him, Naruto knew that there was a very likely chance that he would be killed.

X.X.X.X.X

"What should I do…?"

Yagura asked his question to the tombstone before him. It was late at night, and not another soul was around. He had easily gotten into the cemetery, feeling like he had to visit two people before he left.

The grave of Minato and Kushina sat silently in front of him. Yagura sighed disappointedly, knowing that the piece of stone wouldn't answer him.

He wondered… what would Kushina had said if she were still around and knew of his current plight? What would be her opinion on gathering up the other demon containers? She had always been an eccentric one and was one of the few whom Yagura considered to be a truly inherently good person. He had only met her a few times in the past, and while he had denied it many times, as was his nature, Kushina had always insisted that they were friends because of their similar conditions.

Yagura sighed as he looked up at the starry night sky. What would Kushina want? What would Minato want? What would loving parents want for their child? What would they do for Naruto right now?

The Mizukage sighed as he thought back to his conversation with the hokage. Well, there was little he could do. It was regrettable, but Yagura would have to leave without Naruto. It really wasn't up to Yagura anyway since the Hokage believed this was the best thing to do, which was exceedingly foolish in Yagura's opinion. The man shook his head and turned to leave the graveyard.

Yagura ears perked up when he heard small footsteps echo across the ground.

The Sanbi jinchuriki slowly turned his head as the footsteps became louder. They were small sounds in quick succession. A running child, Yagura assumed. But what would a child be doing around here so late at night…?

It was then that out from the darkness, a small boy with a shock of electric blonde hair stepped into Yagura's view.

Yagura only uttered one word.

"Naruto?"

Time stood still for both jinchuriki. Yagura's surprised eyes stared into Naruto's frightened ones. The man simply stared at the boy as a rare moment of thoughtlessness came to him. His resemblance to Minato was unmistakable. This was Kushina's son. Yet, what had brought him here? The child looked like a scared animal, and Yagura noticed small cuts along his arms and face that were slowly healing up. Yagura turned back to the grave behind him.

"Are you trying to tell me something…?"

Yagura's eyes widened when a kunai whizzed passed him and he heard Naruto cry out in fear.

"Found you demon!"

Naruto panicked as he glanced between the strange man in front of him and the ninja that had appeared behind him. He had thought running and hiding in such a dark scary place would keep the ninja from following him, but that was too much to hope for. Naruto desperately searched for an escape route despite knowing that he was trapped.

"We've got you now… nowhere to run…" One of the ninja chuckled as he twirled a kunai between his fingers.

"We slay the demon tonight." The second one smiled. "We'll be heroes."

"W-Why are you doing this?" Naruto asked fearfully. He was shaking. "I-I didn't do anything to you! Why are you trying to hurt me!"

"Didn't do anything…?" The third ninja said lowly as he glared at the boy. "You killed hundreds of people! So many loved ones were lost, my parents included! And it's all you fault!"

"B-But I didn't…!"

"Shut up!" The ninja shouted as he rushed towards Naruto. "Die, monster!"

Naruto raised his arms in a vain attempt to protect himself from his attacker. He shook and waited for the ninja's weapon to cut into his flesh.

"Ghk!"

Naruto blinked when he heard the ninja's startled cry, noticing that he was lacking any injury the man might have inflicted on him and the boots that stood in front of him.

Naruto's mouth fell open in awe as he stared at the man in front of him, who was holding the ninja by the neck.

"W-What the?" One of the ninja gasped, finally taking notice of Yagura. "Who the hell are you!"

The two ninja watched as the man brought their comrade to his knees. Their friend was taller than his strangler, but it was clear that the mystery man had more strength than his appearance suggested.

Not only that, but the look in the man's purple, pupilless eyes sent shivers down their spines.

Yagura simply stared down at the man he was strangling. He turned his head to give Naruto a brief glance before turning back towards the Konoha ninja.

The Sanbi container knew what he had to do.

"I pity you, who are too foolish to understand." Yagura said without emotion. "Someone like you, who would seek to harm a mere child doesn't deserve to live."

The ninja's eyes widened as he felt eyes widened as the man's fingers sank into his neck. A small crack was heard as the man lost all feeling and his body went limp. Yagura dropped him to the ground.

"…Pitiful."

"Bastard!"

The two ninja rushed the man that had killed their friend, kunai raised to strike. Yagura regarded them with eyes void of feeling as they rushed towards him. The Mizukage raised his hands as the ninja closed in.

The ninjas' eyes widened when the man in front of them disappeared, only to reappear behind them. They felt his fingers wrap around their necks before their worlds went black.

"Hmph." Yagura grunted as he dropped the bodies to the ground. It was regrettable, but trash like them didn't deserve any less than what they got. He had met too many people like them in his lifetime…

"Um…"

Yagura turned away from the dead ninja when he heard a small voice call out to him.

The Kyuubi jinchuriki was staring at him with an unsure look on his face. The boy kicked the ground nervously as he folded his arms behind his back.

"Thank you, mister…"

Naruto's eyes widened as the man approached him with an expressionless face. Naruto closed his eyes and raised his hands to block the blows to come.

"Are you hurt?"

Naruto blinked and slowly dropped his arms to see his savior kneeling in front of him with a stern expression. Or that might have been his normal expression, Naruto wasn't sure.

The question, however, had caught the boy off guard. No one had asked him that before.

"Huh?"

"I asked if you were hurt." Yagura repeated.

"N-No! I'm fine, see!" Naruto's face broke out into a small as he turned checked himself over. "They threw a few kunai at me, but I think most of them missed! I dodged them all!"

The boy's cheerful expression confused Yagura. He had almost been killed by the men and now he was smiling, even boasting about something that wasn't true? How could this boy smile after what had happened?

Yagura was unable to keep his thoughts from voicing themselves.

"You are… strange." Yagura said slowly.

"H-Hey! No I'm not!" Naruto said angrily, not appreciate being insulted. "I'm normal! I'm anything but strange!"

Yagura just continued to stare at the boy who went of on a rant. This was the Kyuubi jinchuriki… the last demon container.

He was… different from the other containers.

Yagura shook his head as he stood up. He turned on his heel and walked towards the exit of the cemetery.

"W-Wait! Where are you going?" Naruto asked as he chased after the man who had saved him.

"Back to my home." Yagura said, stopping to let Naruto catch up with him. "I'm not welcome here right now. My home is far away, and I'd like to get back as soon as I can."

"Oh… are you from another village?" Naruto asked, noticing the plate that was sewn into the man's shirt. It was different than Konoha's symbol. His had four squiggly lines on it.

"…You're Naruto, right?" Yagura asked.

"Huh? Yeah… how'd you know?" Naruto asked curiously.

"…Do you want to come to my village?"

Naruto's eyes widened when he heard the man. The boy thought he had misheard him.

"…Huh?"

"My name is Yagura. I am the Mizukage of Kirigakure." Yagura announced to Naruto's surprise. "My home is far away from Konoha. If you want, I can take you with me. I can help you." Yagura glanced at the dead bodies behind them. "…You won't have to deal with people like them anymore."

"B-But why?" Naruto stammered, still stupefied by the man's offer and who was giving the offer.

Naruto had dreamed of a moment like this, countless times, where he was given an opportunity to leave the village. He would travel the world, meet lots of people, people who respected him, and lived happily with people who didn't hate him. And now this person, someone Naruto didn't even know… he was someone so important and he had saved him…

What reason did he have?

"Because you're not alone." Yagura replied softly as he gazed down at the boy. "You're not the only one who has suffered, Naruto. There are others like you who have experienced the same pain you have. I am one of those individuals. It is because I can understand your pain and condition is the reason I wish to help you. It's why I wish to help the others as well…"

"The others…?" Naruto wondered quietly.

"I won't force you if you don't want to. I can understand if you wish to stay in your own village rather than go to a foreign one with some stranger you just met." Yagura said without an expression. "You may accept or refuse. The choice is yours."

Naruto stared up at the man in wonderment. He was serious? Naruto felt excitement build up inside him at the prospect of leaving. Could he really go with this man? Did Yagura really want to help him? Naruto was still unsure. He quietly asked his question.

"Is it really okay?"

"As I said, the choice is yours." Yagura repeated.

Naruto nodded. His apprehension disappeared. In the end, this man had been his savior and had done more for him than anyone had ever done for him before. There was only one answer Naruto could give.

"I'll go with you, Yagura-san!" Naruto pumped his fist cheerfully. "Thank you!"

"Very well then." Yagura nodded. "Do you want to bring anything with you?"

"I have a few clothes back at my apartment. Can we go get them?"

"I don't mind."

"Yay!" Naruto cheered as he grabbed Yagura's hand and led him out of the cemetery. "I don't have much, so I pack up really quick! What's Kirigakure like? Is it like Konoha? Are the people there nice? Are you really the Mizukage?"

Yagura wasn't given a chance to respond to the questions being shot at him in quick succession. He simply allowed himself to be pulled along by the exuberant jinchuriki.

"This is the best birthday ever!"

Those words, that single sentence solidified Yagura's resolve. He had his doubts about taking Naruto with him since this would no doubt cause problems with Sarutobi. It even had the potential to go to war. But after hearing something so depressing, yet with such a happy tone, Yagura knew there was no other option but to bring Naruto to Kirigakure with him.

This was a rescue, and Yagura would see it through despite the repercussions that would surely follow.

X.X.X.X.X

Ao slowly walked down the corridor that led to where the Mizukage's… guests were currently waiting. The man let out a weary sigh as he braced himself for the introductions to come. He still couldn't believe what his Kage had done. He was still getting over the shock. To think he was able to gather seven other jinchuriki in just a week and a half was something to be amazed at, and Ao had recently gotten a message from the border that the Mizukage had returned with the eighth and final jinchuriki with him. Including Yagura, that meant that all nine jinchuriki were currently within Kirigakure's borders.

Despite his hardened nature, Ao couldn't help but worry about that.

Of course, the information wasn't public. There would have been mass panic if everyone in the village knew. Half the village was already afraid of their own Mizukage, and if the villagers knew that eight others like him were also inside the village there would be no telling what would happen. Only Ao, the swordsmen, and a few select individuals who the Mizukage trusted personally knew about their leader's actions.

Another order Yagura had given was that the jinchuriki were to be confined only until he returned to the village. None of the other jinchuriki had met one another since their arrival to the village since they had all been kept on opposite sides of the village in special locations only accessible to the elite few that Yagura trusted. A couple of the containers had been discomforted, even enraged by this development, but Ao had assured them all that they would be provided for and it was only temporary. Each of the jinchuriki had reluctantly agreed to the terms before they met one another. Though two of the seven containers that Yagura had gathered together had been more adamant against the arrangements than others had.

Luckily, Ao's bruises and mild burns had already healed up.

However, the time for the jinchuriki's short confinement was already coming to an end, much to his and the other containers' relief. Now that the final jinchurki was on his way, it was finally time for all the jinchuriki to be gathered up and introduced to each other. Ao only had limited interaction with the jinchuriki, but he had gotten an idea about how each demon container acted. Part of him wondered how each of them would react to meeting all the other containers at once.

The prospect both intrigued and worried him.

He had his objections to the idea, and again when Yagura admitted he had hid a few facts to keep the other villages and their Kages ignorant to what he was doing, but the man would have no arguments. Ao sighed he approached a door at the end of the hall.

"Mizukage-sama sure is an impulsive one…" Ao sighed as he felt a headache coming on. He could already hear the Hachibi container's enthusiastic shouts from the other side of the door.

Ao opened the door to find the room in a bit of a hectic state. He quickly located the Hachibi and Nibi containers who were in the center of the room. Bee's loud, booming voice immediately brought Ao's attention towards them. Yugito had been confined with the older boy since those two were probably the only jinchuriki who actually knew one another. Yugito was sitting on the couch, laughing as she clapped and cheered at her friend as Bee stood on top of the coffee table with a banana in his hand. The boy was using the piece of fruit as a microphone as he beatboxed and rapped to the girl using words that made Ao wonder if he was speaking the same language. Yugito was the first to notice him.

"Ao-san!" Yugito quickly got up and bowed to him. Bee stopped rapping and gave the man his attention, but didn't get off from the table.

"What up, _Ao_? Did you come to check up on us, _no_?" Bee smiled as he rhymed his words.

"Not exactly. And I see you two have made yourselves at home here…" Ao noted as he glanced around the room. Chairs were overturned, trash littered the floor, and some of the furniture had ripped.

"I'm really sorry about this. Bee's a slob." Yugito apologized, looking guiltily at the room they had made a mess of. She timidly glanced back at the older man. "Um… do you know when we'll be allowed to leave?"

"I actually came to get you two." Ao said, smiling slightly as the girl perked up. "Your confinement is now officially over. I'll be escorting you two to the Mizukage's tower so you can meet the others."

Their confinement had only lasted four days. That was half the time some of the others had waited.

"SWEET!" Bee laughed as jumped off the coffee table. "Being kept in here is freakin' boring! Are the other jinchuriki over at the Mizukage's place too?"

Bee whooped at Ao's nod of affirmation. Yugito also looked a little eager at the prospect of meeting the other demon containers like her. Ao pulled up the corners of his mouth as he led them out the door. They, along with the Yonbi container, were probably the only jinchuriki who actually looked forward to meeting their fellow containers.

"C'mon, let's go, go, _go_! We want to meet our jinchuriki brothers now, _Ao_!"

The man smiled at the eccentric teen's rapping. Yugito happily tagged along beside Bee as he led the way. Ao's smile dropped as he followed behind him.

He hoped that they would be able to keep this optimistic attitude. They would certainly be disappointed to find that the other jinchuriki weren't as easy to deal with as they imagined.

X.X.X.X.X

"…Go on."

Naruto stepped through the door as Yagura opened it for him. He was glad to be inside a building rather than out in the streets. He didn't gather as much attention as he usually did at Konoha, but that didn't keep people from looking at them. While the villagers' glares hadn't been particularly hostile, Naruto didn't exactly feel at ease in the foreign environment just yet.

The blonde quickly picked up his pace as Yagura stepped in front of him and proceeded down the hall. Naruto followed the man who had saved him without making a sound. Throughout their entire trip, despite Naruto's constant attempts at conversation, Yagura had responded shortly and with as few words as possible. The blonde was lucky if he got a response that was more than three syllables. Eventually, Naruto had just decided to remain silently until their trip to Kirigakure had ended. It concluded rather quickly to Naruto's surprise who had ridden piggyback most of the way since Yagura had been in a hurry to return.

Naruto was brought out of his musings when he bumped into the back of Yagura's legs. The Mizukage had stopped in the middle of the hall. Yagura looked down at Naruto who was staring at him curiously, wondering why he had stopped walking.

"Naruto, do you know why the villagers in Konoha treated you the way they did?"

The boy's eyes widened for a moment before his expression turned sad. It was the only conversation they had together so far, but Naruto wasn't sure if he liked the topic.

"No… I thought it was because of something I did wrong once but I can't remember what…" Naruto said sadly as he remembered the night Yagura had rescued him. Maybe it was his pranks?

The Mizukage's next words shocked him.

"I know why the villagers treated you the way they did."

Naruto's head shot up in surprise. The boy gaped at the sudden announcement.

"You do?" Naruto said in awe.

"Yes." Yagura nodded. "It's time that you were told a reason for your mistreatment, and also for you to learn that there are others like you who are mistreated for the same reason you have been."

Yagura resumed his trek down the hall before Naruto had a chance to question him further. The Mizukage knew why the villagers in Konoha didn't like him? And what did he mean when he said "others"?

Little did Naruto know that the "others" Yagura had spoken of were already in the room they were headed towards, waiting for the last two jinchuriki to arrive.

Inside the room all the jinchuriki were present, minus the Sanbi and Kyuubi containers. Even though half of them knew that each person in the room had a demon inside his or herself, that didn't cause anyone to seek conversation. Each container was casually doing their own thing while they waiting for the Mizukage to arrive.

Some of them, however, were having a harder time dealing with the silence than the others did.

Fu paced back and forth with an irritated expression on her face. She had been the first one to be dropped off inside the room so she had been the one waiting the longest, and she had started getting impatient after the third container had showed up. Occasionally she would stop pacing to swat at the bubbles that floated towards her, courtesy of the Rokubi container who stood a few feet away. Utakata ignored the angry glares the smaller girl was sending him as he blew into his bubble blower. To his surprise and relief, the tool had been waiting for him in the room he had been confined in for the last couple of days. He continued to blow bubbles as he waited patiently for the Mizukage to arrive.

Han was content to blatantly ignore all other occupants in the room as he polished a red plate of armor he held in his hands. His eye would twitch occasionally when he failed to tune out Bee's humming. Said Hachibi container stood with Yugito near the center of the room, casting curious glances at the other containers, wondering what each of their personalities was like. Yugito was a little nervous and clung to Bee's side, turning away whenever she caught the Nanabi container's annoyed glare.

Roshi was casually sipping a jug of sake he had brought back from his room with him. He, like Bee, was calmly observing the other containers in the room. He silently marveled at how all of them were brought together like this. The Yonbi container chuckled and downed more of his drink.

The last occupant and one of the quietest was Gaara, who sat in a corner of the room and far away from the other occupants of the room. He was gently rocking himself back and forth as he mumbled quietly to himself under his breath. He clutched his teddy bear in one arm as sand lightly danced and jumped around him.

While everyone was generally comfortable within the silence, one of the more vocal containers decided to break it.

"WOULD YOU STOP THAT?"

Most of the occupants in the room gazed at the girl with the mint colored hair as she marched up to Utakata. The teen gazed at her through half lidded eyes as she fumed at him.

"Stop what?"

"You know what!" Fu said, stamping her feet angrily. "Those bubbles are annoying! Stop blowing them at me!"

"I'm not blowing them at you, they just float that way."

"You're making them do that! Stop it!"

Bee and Roshi snickered as the two containers started to argue. Han's growled under his breath as their voices started to distract him from his work.

"As if that idiot's humming wasn't annoying enough…"

Unfortunately for him, Bee had overheard him.

"What was that?" Bee asked as he stepped towards the Gobi container, leaving Yugito by herself. "You trying to say something?"

"Go away. I'm busy trying to ignore you." Han growled out as he tried his best to focus on the plate in front of him.

"Sorry buddy, but Killer Bee isn't ignored." Bee grinned as he bent down so he could look Han in the eye. He glanced down at the red armor piece in his hands. "What'cha got there?"

"Armor. Beat it."

"Really? That's cool." Bee smiled, genuinely interested as he plucked the plate out of the Gobi container's hands. "What's it for?"

Bee blinked when a large shadow had suddenly overcome him. The boy stared up at Han's menacing face, a little intimidated by the boy's height. He looked a lot shorter when he was sitting down.

"Give that plate back before you have to start explaining to people how your body parts got kicked inside out, twerp." Han glowered down at Bee who held his hands up in defense as he handed the plate of armor back to him.

"Whoa, whoa! Don't be hatin' _fool_! It's all _cool_, right?" Bee smiled, trying to make piece.

His attempt at rapping only succeeded in annoying and pissing off Han even more than he already was.

Yugito watched Bee's exchange with the scary teen with a worried expression on her face. She jumped when she heard a chuckling voice behind her.

"Ah, he should know better. The minute I saw him I could tell that boy wasn't easy to get along with." Roshi chuckled as he took another swig from his drink. He smiled down at Yugito. "Hello there, young lady. What's your name?"

"Y-Yugito." The Nibi container replied, bowing her head lightly to the older man. "And you…?"

"Roshi from Iwagakure." The Yonbi container smiled.

The duo fell into silence after they had introduced themselves. Roshi chuckled and scratched the back of his head while Yugito nervously shuffled her feet. She blinked when a bottle was held out to her.

"Care for a drink?" Roshi offered with a smile.

Yugito only stared at him.

Unbeknownst to them, their voices were having an adverse effect on the Ichibi container. The sand started to react more violently as Gaara started whispering frantically to himself. He clutched his head as a scratchy voice whispered in his ear.

"I'm scared… these people are scary… are they going to hurt me…?"

Just before everyone's arguments could escalate further, they were cut short when the sound of a door opening caught their attention.

Everyone in the room blinked as a small boy with blonde ran into the room. The boy looked at each of them with a surprised expression before a smile covered his face.

"Hi everybody! My name is Naruto! Nice to meet you all!"

The other containers just stared at the boy's happy face with various looks of confusion and amusement. None of them noticed Yagura step into the room and shut the door behind him.

"Why, hello there, Naruto-kun." Roshi greeted the boy with a smile. Yugito gasped as he grabbed her arm and pushed her towards the Kyuubi container. "This is Yugito-chan. Say hello."

"Nice to meet you too…" Yugito muttered unsurely as she gave the boy a small wave.

Naruto grinned back at her as Bee made his way over to them, flashing the younger boy a peace sign as he approached. The other containers chose to ignore him as they redirected their attention towards the Sanbi container who they finally took notice of.

Yagura stared at each of the containers who in turn stared back at him. Now that they were all here… he was at a bit of a loss. He stood in place for a while before he remembered how he had rehearsed this. He took out a small box from underneath his cloak.

"Before we begin the introductions I'd like you all to pick a number from this box. Each slip of paper has a number on it, one to nine. I want you to pick the number that corresponds to you. I will go first."

Yagura reached inside the box and searched until he found his number. He held up his paper to show the others. A big "3" was written on it.

A few of the other jinchuriki nodded, understanding what Yagura was asking them to do.

Naruto, however, was clueless as to what was going on. Not wanting to be left out, he quickly followed the Yugito and Bee as they approached the Mizukage.

Yagura watched as each person picked a number. Roshi was the first to grab his slip, followed by Bee and Yugito who picked their numbers. Fu paused for a bit before picking her correct number after Utakata had picked his. Han grabbed his number and retreated back to his spot on the floor before Naruto had his turn. There were only two pieces of paper left in the box. Naruto gave Yagura an unsure look before grabbing one of the papers.

"That's wrong, Naruto."

"Huh?"

Naruto looked at his paper which had a number "1" on it. He gave Yagura a puzzled look, taking the paper that had a "9" on it when the Mizukage held it out to him.

"That is your correct number. The other one belongs to Gaara." Yagura said, pointing to the redhead in the corner of the room. "Could you give it to him please?"

"Okay…" Naruto nodded slowly, still wondering what significance the numbers had.

Deciding to save his questions for later, he quickly ran over to the boy who sat in the corner with the teddy bear in his arms. Naruto held out the piece of paper in his hand with a smile.

"Here you go! This is your number." Naruto smiled. "You're so lucky! Number one has got to mean something good!"

The boy blinked and stared up at the boy who had talked to him. Gaara silently reached out and took the piece of paper from Naruto before ducking his head, almost as if he was trying to hide from the boy.

"You're name's Gaara, right?"

His head rose again.

"My name is Naruto!" The boy grinned at him.

Gaara just stared at him with a look that was half amazed, half fearful. Wasn't he scared of him?

Yagura watched this exchange for a moment before gaining everyone's attention again as he raised his voice.

"Now, I want all of you to line up in numerical order. Number 1 on the right and 9 on the left.

All the jinchuriki quickly put themselves in the order Yagura asked them to. Gaara slowly got up from his spot and stood at the right end while Naruto stood next to Bee on the left. Yugito and Roshi stood next to each other since Yagura wouldn't be standing in the line with them. The Mizukage nodded after the jinchuriki had ordered themselves correctly. He paced in front of the assembled containers as he gave his speech.

"Now, as I'm sure most of you are aware, every person in this room has the same condition. Each one of us is the host of a tailed beast. Each one of us is a jinchuriki."

Naruto blinked in confusion. Jin…chu…riki…? What did that mean?

Yagura noticed the boy's confusion but didn't address it. He continued with his speech.

"It is my understanding that anyone who is a jinchuriki has experienced some sort of animosity by those around them for fear of what we are. Or perhaps some of you were able to find people who understand you?"

Silence was Yagura's only answer. Some of them even looked angry. Bee and Yugito were probably the only ones who had protection from their Kage, and Gaara… well, he wouldn't get into that.

"…Moving right along, since I am a jinchuriki like the rest of you I know what it's like to be hated, even by your own village." Yagura gazed at each jinchuriki. "Which is why I'd like to help each of you control your demons. I believe one of the reasons people fear jinchuriki is because they are afraid the demons cannot be controlled. That is not true."

In demonstration, Yagura raised his hand and exerted some of his demon's chakra, showing his hand to the others which was covered in a red haze of chakra.

"Now, I'd like to make it clear that I don't wish to use any of you as a weapon or try to control what you do." Yagura glanced at Gaara, Roshi, and Han as he said this. "All I ask is that you cooperate with me. Know that my actions, while they may seem unorthodox at times, will only serve to benefit you. I'm not forcing any of you to stay here, though some of you may be here until you Kage decides to recall you to your village."

"So are you saying that after this little get together is over those of us who aren't under any kind of orders are free to leave?" Roshi asked tauntingly.

"For those of you without any obligation to your village, you are free to do what you will after _a year_ of training with me. Whether you choose to stay in Kirigakure is up to you." Yagura continued on as he answered Roshi's question. "During your stay here you will have your own rooms and will be provided with supplies as you see fit. You are free to roam around the village as you please, but I would like to ask you all to refrain from bothering or harming the village's inhabitants. Most everyone is unaware of your jinchuriki status, and I believe that it would be in everyone's best interest to keep it that way."

"So we're just supposed to do whatever you say for an entire year?" Han asked indignantly.

"…I never said that, Han." Yagura retorted easily. "All I'm asking is that you devote a few hours each day for training exercises and interacting with your fellow containers. You will have plenty of free time, and you may spend it however you wish. Do you have any objections to that?"

"…" Han still glared at him.

"Good." Yagura nodded. "I have a few more things to say, but I think we should get introductions out of the way before we move onto that. Now, if everyone could… yes, Naruto?"

Naruto blushed when everyone directed their attention towards him. He slowly put down his raised arm and focused on Yagura with a puzzled look on his face.

"Um… what's a jin…chu…ri…ki…?" Naruto sounded out the word, looking to the Mizukage for an answer.

Naruto blushed again when the others gave him looks of incredibility and surprise. Yagura mentally berated himself for forgetting to explain jinchuriki to Naruto beforehand.

"Naruto… you don't know what a jinchuriki is?" Roshi asked in astonishment. "You don't know that _you're_ a jinchuriki?"

"Uh, well, if I'm that… thing you said, I don't know what it is." Naruto smiled sheepishly.

"If you've been given shit by other humans then the reason for that is because you're a jinchuriki." Han spoke up, crossing his arms in front of him. "You were probably hated by your village, weren't you?"

Yagura sent the Gobi container a sharp look. He didn't have to say it so harshly.

"I-I don't know if they _hated_ me, but…"

"Naruto."

The boy jumped when Yagura addressed him.

"Are you familiar with a creature called the Kyuubi no Yoko, the nine-tailed fox?" Yagura asked him.

"Oh yeah! Jiji-san talked about a big fox that attacked the village sometimes." Naruto grinned, happy that he finally understood something the Mizukage was saying. "It got killed by the Yondaime and he saved lots of people! Why?"

"The Kyuubi was something we call a bijuu. It was a demon who loved to cause havoc and destruction wherever it went." Yagura told the boy. "The Kyuubi is one of the nine bijuu that exists. Bijuu are tailed beasts with tails numbering from one to nine."

"So there were more like the fox? Did they attack other villages too?"

"A few have attacked other villages before, but that's not the point." Yagura said, bringing them back on track. "Anyway, bijuu can't be killed. The only way to confine them is by sealing them within a living breathing human, whose body serves as a type of cell to keep the bijuu from hurting anyone. These people who have bijuu sealed inside them are called jinchuriki."

"…Huh…?" Naruto was still clueless.

"Naruto, there are nine jinchuriki alive today, and each one has a bijuu sealed inside them." Yagura said, gesturing to everyone with his arm. "And as I mentioned earlier, everyone in this room is a jinchuriki."

Naruto knitted his eyebrows to together in confusion before his mouth fell open in surprise. He quickly counted how many people were in the room with him. Including himself, the number of people in the room totaled…

...Nine.

No… it couldn't be…

"So you are a jinchuriki too…" Utakata said as he stared at the Mizukage, confirming the fact that the leader of his home country was a demon container. Yagura nodded in affirmation.

"Let's get introductions started, shall we?" Yagura said, letting Naruto connect the dots by himself. "Each of you will go in order starting from the number of your tailed beast. Introduce yourself and tell us all which demon you host. I'll begin."

Everyone gave Yagura their undivided attention.

"My name is Yagura. I host the Sanbi no Kyodaigame, the three-tailed demon beast." Yagura announced to them all. He turned towards the Ichibi container. "Gaara…?"

"I-I'm… I'm Sabaku no Gaara… I… I… mother says…"

"Gaara." Yagura interrupted him with a gentle tone. "We've talked about this. The Ichibi is not your mother…"

"I… I have the Ichibi no Shukaku… one tail…" Gaara finished quietly as he rubbed his eyes.

"I'm Yugito Nii." Yugito quickly picked up after the red haired boy. "I'm the host of the Nibi no Bakeneko, the two-tailed beast."

"My name is Roshi. It's a pleasure to meet you all." The red haired man smiled, skipping over Yagura since he had already been introduced. "I've got the Yonbi no Saru sealed inside me." He bent down to Yugito and whispered as though he had a big secret, but was loud enough to where the others could hear him. "It's got four tails…"

"Han. I'm stuck with the five-tailed bijuu, Gobi no Irukauma." Han said shortly as he rolled his eyes at Roshi's behavior.

"I'm Utakata. I have the six-tails. It's the Rokubi no Namekuji." The brown haired boy relayed to the others.

"I'm Fu!" The girl with minty green hair spoke up. She glanced at her card. "My demon has seven tails and… and its name is, er, um… oh! It's the Nanabi no Kabutomushi!"

"Yo! I'm the Killer Bee and I've-!"

"Please introduce yourself normally for once." Yugito cut him off.

"Don't interrupt me Yugito! And _hey_, I only answer to my awesome title, '_kay_?"

"I've only known him for ten minutes and I can already tell he's gonna piss me off…" Han sighed. Utakata nodded beside him.

"Any_way_, I'm hosting for the Hachibi no Kyogyu!" Bee grinned as he held up eight fingers, intent on continuing his rapping streak. "Its tail number is _eight_, got that _mates_?"

"Would someone shut him up?"

"Hey! Don't knock my rappin' _yo_! It's art, _doncha'know_!"

"Han, Bee, settle down." Yagura ordered the both of them. He turned towards the last jinchuriki. "Naruto?"

The boy remained silent for a moment before giving Yagura an unsure look.

"I'm… Naruto Uzumaki and… I have the nine tails inside me. I've got the Kyuubi no Yoko, right…?"

Yagura nodded to confirm it.

"Yes, Naruto. Yes you do."

* * *

A/N: Alright, that's it for this chapter. Very long, makes up for absence, no? I think everything went very smoothly. What did you guys think?

So all the jinchuriki have met up, and all this chapter did was introduce them to each other. The next chapter will have more introductions since we'll get to meet the bijuu themselves and see each container's relationship with their respective demon. Not only that, but I'll introduce a few other characters and get the jinchuriki situated in Kiri.

As most of you can probably tell, not all the jinchuriki get along with each other. You all didn't honestly think that it would be rainbows and sunshine with these guys just because they're all jinchuriki, right? While some like Naruto and Bee will be friendly with the other containers, it will take time for them to bond. Still, relationships and bonds between the jinchuriki will be forged as time goes on. All of them, even Yagura who was responsible for bringing them together, have their own issues and problems that will be addressed and they'll get support from those around them. You'll see how these characters evolve as the story goes on.

I've got a basis for this story and I know exactly how I want the next few events to play out. It'll be all about training and getting to know our containers for the first few chapters then we'll get to see some of our antagonists start to show up. And again, Yagura isn't under Madara's control. Other issues such as the bloodline purges and Kiri's civil war will be addressed eventually and possibly in the next chapter.

So anyway, please review and tell me how I did. I'm grateful for the support I've received so far (Over 100 reviews in two chapters, WHOOO!) and I'd be great if even more people would review. Any questions you guys have, I'll be happy to answer. I promise that I won't take as long to post the next chapter. Now if you'll all excuse me, I need to finish the next chapter of NLSC. Until next time.

Kiiam


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

A/N: Well, I feel like I've been an absolute prick about this story since I was so excited for it. Seriously, I've got a whole list of things I want to do with this thing but I got writer's block in the beginning. I just couldn't set everything up to flow correctly from the previous chapter. It's been half written for months… but I finally got around to finishing it! I love working on this story just as much as NLSC so hopefully I'll get the next one up soon.

Anyway, I've got quite a bit to say regarding this story at the author's note below so **BE SURE TO READ THAT**. Sorry for taking too many months to update this story, and I hope you guys like the new chapter. Enjoy.

* * *

**Settling In**

Naruto couldn't believe it. He finally got it! He finally understood why all the villagers in Konoha had hated him so much! He had a big demon inside him! The nine tailed fox that the Yondaime defeated was sealed inside of him! He was a jin… chu… something, and that's why everyone hated him! And while Naruto suddenly felt enlightened by this new understanding of himself, part of his young, immature mind was also confused by his new information.

Naruto quickly glanced down at himself, looking at his hands and feet, even checking his behind for any certain anomalies that suddenly popped up inside his head.

No tail, no claws, no other furry appendages… heck, he never even knew he had a demon in his stomach until just a few minutes ago. He felt fine. Did he look weird to the other villagers? Is that why they called him a demon and a monster back home? As he mulled over this sudden revelation, a question popped into his mind.

Yagura opened his mouth to speak again when he saw a strained hand raise itself in the air.

"…Yes, Naruto?" Yagura said, turning towards the boy.

The boy's expression was thoughtful. An odd expression for him, Yagura decided. The other seven jinchuriki also turned towards the blond kid, some interested with what he had to say, others annoyed by his interruption.

"How did the fox get sealed in me?" Naruto asked curiously. He remembered Yagura saying something about sealing when he mentioned… jin-whatsits.

Yagura sighed. He didn't want to spend all his time lecturing Naruto about jinchuriki. But the boy clearly wanted to know, and based on a few other curious looks from a few other jinchuriki, he decided to give a small explanation.

"Jinchuriki are people who, as I said, act as a living cell for a bijuu to keep it from attacking others." Yagura explained. "Usually, jinchuriki are sealed inside a newborn so their chakra coils can develop to adapt to the demon's foreign chakra in their system. However, there are a few cases where jinchuriki are sealed into someone later in life." He glanced at Bee and Yugito as he said this. "All of us had seals placed onto our bodies that keep the bijuu within us imprisoned. Have you ever noticed any markings or signs on your body, Naruto?"

"There's this really big circle painted on my belly." Naruto answered, earning a chuckle from Roshi.

"That's the seal that keeps the bijuu in." Yagura told him.

"Will the fox ever get out?" Naruto asked.

This drew more curious stares from the remaining jinchuriki. They all stared at Yagura expectantly who quickly elaborated.

"That is why I have brought you here, Naruto. It's why I've brought you all here." Yagura said, turning towards the group of eight in front of him. "By training with me, I hope that each of you will gain some control over your demon. During your stay in Kirigakure, I hope you'll all learn to get along. While I understand that most of you aren't very socially adept, and I won't ask any of you to be friends, please get used to each other for the benefit of your training."

Yagura tried to keep the exasperation from his voice when Naruto raised his hand again. He tried to ignore it but the way he was frantically waving his hand was clearly distracting and annoying some of the other containers.

"…Yes, Naruto?"

"Does this mean you'll teach us how to be ninja?" The boy asked excitedly.

"The exercises I'll be teaching you will certainly help you if that is your career choice." Yagura answered.

"Hooray! I'm going to be a ninja!" Naruto cheered.

Yagura stared at the boy for a moment before noting the reactions of the other containers. Roshi, Bee, and Yugito smiled at the exuberant boy, while Han, Utakata, and Fu looked rather annoyed by his antics, although Yagura could clearly see some excitement in Fu's eyes as well. Gaara just fidgeted as he stood next to Yugito, casting unsure, nervous glances at the assembled group before him.

Yagura glanced at Naruto one last time before resuming his speech. The boy was indeed strange.

"Yes, well, the primary goal here is to gain control over your demons, not to become ninja." Yagura stated. "Now, how many of you are familiar with the bijuu? Have you met your demon?"

This question earned many more looks of confusion from the group of containers. Only Roshi and Han reacted with indifference.

"Yo! I've been trying to do that for months!" Bee proclaimed.

"I've reacted to the demon's chakra, but I have never 'met' the Rokubi personally." Utakata added, confused with the way the Mizukage put it. "Is meeting the demons even possible?"

"Of course. But really, it's all depends on how much control you have over your demon and how you react to its chakra." The Mizukage explained. He brought his hands together as a purple haze seemed to float around him. "Which brings us to our first exercise."

Everyone's eyes widened.

"I will help 'introduce' you all to your demons." Yagura said as the purple haze floated over to the group of eight. "Talk for as long as you wish. Though, if you have adverse reactions to your demon's chakra, I would advise you to take your leave."

Han and Utakata looked like they were about to protest, along with Gaara who seemed like he was going to scream, but each of their world's changed and distorted, with each jinchuriki seeing a different vision.

X.X.X.X.X

Naruto panicked when he blacked out for a moment, only for his vision to come back seconds later, though he wasn't in the room he had been in previously. He was in some kind of sewer. Pipes were lined on the ceiling and a few seemed to be leaking. He also noticed that he was ankle deep in water, though he didn't feel wet at all. He noted with some interest that the water was slightly bluish in color, as was the water dripping from the pipes overhead.

Just as Naruto started to wonder where he was, a deep, rumbling voice resounded throughout the chamber.

"**So the jailer comes to visit…"**

Naruto's eyes widened as he whirled around, coming face to face with the biggest, scariest looking creature he had ever seen. The monster's lips curled as a sinister smirk formed on his face, showing off its razor sharp teeth. Naruto's chest vibrated as it spoke.

"**Hello, fleshbag."**

Naruto screamed and fell back into the water. He trembled as blood red eye's stared down at him.

"**So YOU'RE my host? Feh, what a joke…" **The beast growled. **"You humans really are pathetic…"**

Gathering his courage and gulping down his fear, Naruto shakily got back on his feet and gave the giant fox a curious look.

"So… are you the Kyuubi no Yoko?" Naruto asked.

"**Who did you think I was?" **The beast snarled. **"I will never be anything less. The great Kyuubi no Yoko, the strongest bijuu in all the land! Even a kit like you must've heard about me."**

"Y-Yeah. Jiji-san talks about you sometimes. The Yondaime defeated you back when-"

"**He did NOT defeat me. He got lucky, and if it wasn't for…! Nevermind…" **The demon growled. The fox stared down at its trembling host with disgust. **"Even so, I am cursed with the fate of being sealed inside someone like you…"**

"Y-You're the reason all the villagers hated me." Naruto stammered, remembering what Yagura had told him.

To Naruto's surprise, the demon smiled.

"**I know. **_**Hilarious, **_**isn't it?" **The Kyuubi chuckled, eliciting a confused look from his container. **"It is! They're reason for hating you was because they thought a worthless meatsack like you was me. They thought that just because I'm sealed inside you that somehow turned you into me. What a joke! And that Yondaime of yours, oh if he could only see how the villagers he gave his life to save treated you…"**

The beast suddenly broke out into uproarious laughter.

"**The irony of it all is just too much!" **The Kyuubi laughed gleefully as it pounded against the gates of the cage.

Naruto only kept staring at the creature. What did irony mean anyway?

"**But yes, I'm the reason the villagers hated you so much. I'm why your childhood has been such a hell thus far. Not only that, but those humans are too stupid to realize the truth for themselves!" **The Kyuubi laughed. **"How could a child as lowly as you even begin to hope to measure up to someone so great as me? If it really was me in human flesh the villagers had been tormenting all these years, they'd have all been killed by now. Why would the Great Kyuubi no Yoko allow that kind of mistreatment?"**

"B-But I'm not you! I got blamed for things I didn't do because of you!" Naruto said.

That single fact had suddenly clarified itself inside his mind. And that made Naruto… angry.

"**And what do you want from me, fleshbag?" **The Kyuubi sneered. **"You never once stood up to those worthless humans who did you harm. Not only does that make me look bad by association, but it proves just how weak you are. You'll always be blamed for something you have no control over, and neither of us can do anything about the misconceptions people have of you."**

Naruto balled his fists up. The demon actually sounded like he was amused!

"**Really, I would be angry if the whole situation wasn't so damn funny."**

The beast reared its head back and started laughing again. When Naruto registered because he thought the situation was funny, that HIS misfortune and suffering were funny, Naruto got angry. He didn't care if the Kyuubi was a giant, scary demon fox living in his stomach or whatever. Naruto Uzumaki does NOT like being made fun of.

So naturally, Naruto responded in the only way young children do when they are being ridiculed.

He started yelling.

X.X.X.X.X

"Well… this is nice."

Roshi smiled as he looked around the lush, green forest. Fruits of all shapes and colors littered the trees above him. Out of curiosity, the Yonbi jinchuriki reached out and plucked a ripe looking apple from one of the branches that dipped near his head. The man looked it over, scanning it for anything strange or uncommon before bringing it to his lips and taking a bit out of the juicy fruit.

It was delicious!

"Wow! The inside of my head is so authentic! Bona fide!" Roshi laughed as he took another bite. His eyebrows went up when he looked down at the fruit. "Well, would you look at that…"

Chakra. He could see blue chakra inside the apple.

"How creative!"

What a metaphor! So all the leaves, trees, and fruits represented his chakra! Who would've thought?

But if that was true, where was _his _chakra?

Roshi finished off his apple and tossed away the core, noting with some amusement that is dissipated into blue energy when it hit the ground. He moved deeper and deeper into the forest at a leisurely pace. As he continued to walk, the environment went through a startling change.

The trees slowly turned into a sickly brown color and the branches started to wilt. The fruits lost their color and took on a more shrunken, dry appearance or disappeared completely. Soon enough, all the trees and leaves started to take on a deep red hue. Roshi eventually came to a wide expanse, and in the center of it all an enormous oak tree was placed in the center.

But the environment was surprising!

The trees and grass surrounding the largest tree were all blood red, and seemed to change and morph, almost as if they were alive and in movement. The center tree was the most intense feature. It was the deepest red Roshi had ever seen, so much that it almost hurt to look at it. The bark was cracked and charred, almost as though it had been burned. This seemed to be the case, since the leaves were _on fire, _yet the tree didn't burn to the ground.

Of course, the feature that stood out most was the large cage that hung from a long, protruding, flaming branch. And inside the cage…

The Yonbi no Saru thrashed about inside its prison, letting out screeching cries as the red, four tailed monkey pounded against the cage bars.

"…Well, doesn't that paint a picture?" Roshi remarked, not entirely sure how he should react to this…

X.X.X.X.X

"That FUCKER!"

Han slapped his forehead as the ruined, barren wasteland stretched out in front of him. He clenched his fists together in frustration as the black, stormy sky cracked and swirled above. Even inside the thick, blue fog that was his chakra, Han could still see that damning sky. The cracked earth and bloody ground he stood on complimented the scene perfectly.

A true land of despair and depravity.

"I hate it here." Han growled.

His eyes narrowed as he glared up at the cage behind him. A red fog surround the area around it as chains held the massive cage down. Similar chains adorned the Gobi no Irukauma as it trembled inside the prison. The horse creature shrank back as Han gave it a glare full of venom and hatred.

He'd already taken care of his demon. What was the point in visiting this wasteland?

X.X.X.X.X

Yagura watched the containers as the stand in place, all submerged within their mindscapes thanks to the trance he had put them in. The purple haze had been imbued with the Sanbi's chakra, and it had been meant to stimulate the other bijuus' chakra and induce a mindscape. None of them were asleep, but in a state of subconscious. It was why Yagura had no worries about Gaara's unstable seal, something he reminded himself that he'd have to fix sooner rather than later. The eight containers stared into nothing with open, pupiless eyes as they met with their demons.

Now, this was actually a valuable exercise. Depending on who broke out of their mindscape first would give Yagura some idea as to how much control they already had over their demon's chakra or how much control the demon had over the host. It would let him know who needed work immediately and those who could be left on their own.

The Mizukage was quite curious about who would be the best at controlling their demon. If he had to guess, it would be either Roshi or the two Kumo containers. Roshi was an experienced ninja and from what Yagura knew of him had frequently tried to meet with his demon and could utilize the Yonbi's chakra. Bee and Yugito, however, had actual training on how to control their demons. Whether or not it had worked was another story though.

"Fuck. I hate that place."

Yagura blinked when Han suddenly spoke up.

The teen rubbed his eyes a bit before aiming a glare at Yagura, who gave him a surprised look in response. The Gobi container had the best control? Not only that, but it hadn't even been a minute since Yagura had induced his mindscape. How had Han broken out of it so easily?

"Well, that's forty seconds of my life I'll never get back." Han growled, completely blowing off Yagura and stepping out of the line. He walked towards where his armored plates sat and immediately got to work. He shot one last glare at Yagura before turning back towards his plates. "Don't bother me."

Yagura stared at Han for a few moments before turning back towards the containers.

"_Interesting…" _Yagura thought as Roshi began to blink his eyes. A small smirk formed on the Mizukage's face.

Jinchuriki were certainly unique, to say the least.

X.X.X.X.X

Gaara shivered as the wide desert expanded in front of him. Was he asleep? Bad things happened when he was asleep. There was that monster he saw in his dreams…

A hand appeared in front of his face. Gaara's gaze turned upwards toward a woman with sandy hair wearing a long robe, smiling down at him.

"Mother…"

Gaara smiled at the woman.

"Did you bring me any blood?"

Gaara frowned at the phrase that he had heard so often before. At first he thought nothing of it, but only after talking with Yagura…

Fear suddenly swelled within the boy's gut. Gaara slowly started to back away as the woman's yellow eyes stared down at him.

"Y-You're not my mother…!"

The woman's face suddenly stretched into an eerie smile. She threw her head back, letting out an insane, screeching laugh as her body started to contort and grow. Gaara didn't wait for the transformation to end.

He ran away, screaming all the while.

X.X.X.X.X

Fu ran with everything she had. When she felt herself slowing down, she ran faster. When she stumbled, she quickly got up again and resumed running. She ran as fast as her little legs could carry her.

She finally fell when she heard a loud metal clang resound through the air. Fu scrambled on the ground as she dared herself to look back.

The Nanabi no Kabutomushi flailed its wings about as the black chains kept it from lashing out at its host. When it tried to take flight again it was immediately brought down again. Fu shook as the demon suddenly stilled and turned its head towards her.

"**Someday I'll break these chains, fleshling…" **The beast promised her in a monotonous, metallic voice. **"Just you wait…"**

Fu just stared at the giant bug with wide eyes. The vast red sky expanded above her, almost covering up what little blue that showed through.

Fu took off running again when the demon suddenly reared and tried to fly again.

X.X.X.X.X

"U-Uwah… sniff… waaaa…"

Yagura sighed as he finished pulling Gaara out of his mindscape. The small boy rocked himself back and forth as tears poured from his eyes. He clutched onto his teddy bear tightly as Roshi tried to consol the boy. The Mizukage stepped over to Fu, who also need to be brought out of her mindscape. The girl was shaking uncontrollably and the demon's chakra was starting to leak out of her. Yagura placed his hand on her head and exerted some of his own chakra, snapping the girl out of her trance.

"_Ten minutes have passed."_

Yagura noted that to himself, and in that time only two of the jinchuriki had been released from their mindscape. By themselves, anyway. Roshi had quickly followed Han's surprisingly short mindscape trip and had joyfully thanked the Mizukage for allowing him to meet with his demon. Yagura tried to concentrate on his own thoughts as the man talked amicably about his experience. He had been doing so ever since he had "woken up" much to Yagura's annoyance.

Han had been content to go back to polishing his armor plates, ignoring everything else around him.

Of course, when Gaara started reactingly violently to his experience, added with the Ichibi's chakra spiking, Yagura had to relieve the boy before things got out of hand. When the same started happening to Fu, he acted accordingly.

Based on how the containers were reacting gave Yagura valuable clues. He had induced their mindscape to see where they stood, and how the reacted and how quickly they broke out of their mindscape, if at all, would help him decide who to focus on.

Han hadn't really given him much. The dark skinned boy had immediately broken out of his mindscape and had shown almost no defining reactions in his short trance. Yagura deduced that his demon had no influence on the Gobi container or Han had gone into his mindscape before and was already associated with his demon. The comment Han made earlier testified to the latter. Roshi had shown no signs of discomfort either, and had quickly broken out of his trance a minute or two after Han had. The man had casually told Yagura that he had been trying to get in touch with his demon for years so he could try and understand more about its power, and had even admitted to talking to the demon before. That gave Yagura a very accurate idea about Roshi's relationship with his demon.

Now, there were the jinchuriki who had not yet broken out of their mindscape or when he had to interfere. Yagura had been worried about the younger jinchurikis' reactions to the demons' chakra. It was much easier for demons to influence the young and impressionable rather than the old and experienced. Yugito would fidget once in a while, but remained relatively still. Utakata was in a similar state, though Yagura could see sweat forming on the boy's brow. The remaining four were the most worrying. Bee had been occasionally shaking at first, but now the boy appeared to be struggling within himself as his body twisted and jerked. Naruto would shake violently at random intervals, calm down, and then start shaking again after a minute or so. Yagura wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. Gaara and Fu were the two worst cases, since both looked like they had been have mini seizures and their moans and whimpers of discomfort were distinctly heard. Yagura had no choice but to release them from their mindscapes.

Gaara wiped away some of his tears as Roshi tried telling him a few bad jokes. Fu's eyes were wide as she looked frantically about the room, as if she was looking for something. Han ignored them all, though he occasionally glared at Roshi for the horrible jokes he was telling the youngest and most unstable jinchuriki.

Yagura was slowly beginning to grasp each of their positions. He continued his observations, waiting patiently for one of the remaining four to wake up or for his chance to step in.

X.X.X.X.X

Utakata stepped away from the slimy walls of the damp cave as he made his way inside the tunnel. He wiped away some of the blue slime from his clothes as he tried to keep himself from slipping on the slick ground.

He had already met the Rokubi no Namekuji. The slug had been in a cage deep inside the dark tunnels he was currently navigating through. A wide, red chamber contained the massive creature within it, and after exchanging a few words, Utakata decided to leave. He had wanted to get away from the beast as soon as possible.

The problem was getting out of this place.

Utakata sighed as he caught sight of some red slime. He groaned and started going back the way he came.

There had to be an exit somewhere. And he was willing to keep searching if it meant that he didn't have to go back to the Rokubi.

X.X.X.X.X

Yugito was in awe as the blue flames move around her. She'd never seen anything like it! In a way, it was sort of fascinating to watch the elegant flames dance. It didn't even hurt when she touched the flames either. The grass was soft beneath her feet as she made her way through the fiery meadow. The girl panicked when the saw red flames chase away the blue ones.

Her eyes widened when she saw the cage submerged in red, with a larger, flaming beast resting inside it.

A pair of black slitted pupils stared at Yugito. One surrounded by green, the other framed by yellow. The Nibi no Bakeneko stared at its host for a few moments before raising a flaming paw in greeting.

"**Hello there." **The demon purred.

Yugito's mouth fell open in surprise.

"H-Hello…?"

X.X.X.X.X

"**Let me out…"**

Bee backed away from the bars of the Hachibi's cage as its tentacles slithered towards him. Sweat ran down the boy's forehead as he tried stepping back, but the murky waters beneath him were thick and made movement difficult. Bee tried to move through the redish muck, but it seemed to get heavier and thicker the more he moved.

"**Just let me out of here. I'll get out eventually, so why not now?" **The Hachibi growled in annoyance as its tentacles continued to crawl towards its host.

"N-No way that's happening, yo…" Bee said with a shaky smile. "I'm gonna use your power someday, _see_…"

"**Uh-huh…"**

"I'm the great Killer _Bee_! I've got a duty as a host so…"

"**Let me out."**

"I ain't your bitch. You can't diss _me_."

"**Let me **_**free**_**. Ah, dammit! Now I'm doing it too!"**

Bee's eyes widened as the tentacles suddenly seized his legs. The demon Ox grinned as more of its meat tentacles moved to hold down the boy.

"L-Let go, man! Do you know who I am?"

"**The most annoying host I've **_**ever **_**had." **The Hachibi growled. **"Other than that, you aren't any different from the rest."**

"They were losers! I'm stronger than them!"

"**Funny… the host before you said something similar."**

"I-I'm the boss here! Y-You listen to me!" Bee stammered as more tentacles grabbed his arms.

"**Mouthy little bastard, aren't you?" **The Hachibi smirked as he lifted Bee in the air. **"Don't you get it twerp? You're little bravado means nothing to me. I can SMELL the fear on you. All my hosts were the same. I'll get my chance soon, and then I'll break out."**

Bee struggled about, but couldn't get free. Just as he felt himself being pulled forward, his vision went black.

X.X.X.X.X

Bee gasped as he suddenly came to, blinking in surprise when he saw Yagura step away from him. Yugito was at his side, giving him a worried look as she clutched onto his arm.

"B-Bee… are you okay?" Yugito asked worriedly.

"Y-Yeah… I'm fine." Bee nodded, still a little dazed by the whole experience.

Yagura left Yugito to help Bee regain his bearings as he turned his attention to the Kyuubi container who had not yet broken out of his mindscape. It had been a little over a half hour since he had induced everyone's mindscape. Yugito and Utakata had both voluntarily broken out of their mindscapes about five minutes ago, and Yagura had been forced to relieve Bee when the Hachibi's chakra started to react. That meant that Bee, Fu, and Gaara would need the most work.

"_And Naruto as well…" _Yagura thought as he watched the boy jerk and fidget in place.

The boy was reacting just as violently as Gaara, Fu, and Bee had. The Mizukage had actually predicted that these four in particular would be the most trouble. Gaara's only issue with his erratic control was his unstable seal, which Yagura would fix. Fu, Bee, and Naruto, however, were jinchuriki for the three strongest bijuu. The Nanabi, Hachibi, and Kyuubi's strength and chakra levels were far more superior to the lesser six, his Sanbi included. Not only that, but since the three jinchuriki were still young, Naruto and Fu especially, that would make mastering the demon's chakra that much harder.

Yagura shook his head and saved those thoughts for later. He reached out towards the shaking Naruto's head, ready to snap him out of his mindscape.

"SHUT UP!"

Everyone fell silent when someone screamed. Yagura just stared at the boy in front of him, who had suddenly regained his consciousness. The other jinchuriki were also staring at the Kyuubi container in mild surprise, wondering what had caused the outburst. Yagura withdrew his hand as Naruto looked around the room. He looked rather puzzled, but he was clearly upset about something.

"Naruto." Yagura said, gaining the boy's attention. "Why did you yell?"

"It wasn't at you! It was at that stupid furball!" Naruto huffed, crossing his arms. "It's all his fault! And he was laughing at me!"

The Sanbi container was at a loss for words, as were many of the other jinchuriki around him. One moment the boy's chakra had been reacting so dangerously he would've been forced to release him from the mindscape, and the next he was snapping back into consciousness with no trace of demonic chakra leaking out and actually complaining about his demon laughing at him.

Naruto was definitely the strangest out of the jinchuriki.

"_But I'll definitely need to prioritize him along with Fu, Gaara, and Bee." _Yagura thought to himself.

He may have been able to break out of the mindscape himself, but that didn't take away the fact that the Kyuubi's chakra had been acting up.

"So what now, Mizukage-sama?" Roshi asked curiously. "Since we're all acquainted with what's sealed inside us, what should we do now?

Yagura slowly stood to his feet and calmly strode towards the exit door. Just as he opened it he turned back towards his fellow containers.

"Now I'll show you all where you'll be living during your stay in Kirigakure."

That earned surprised looks from everyone, even Roshi and Han.

X.X.X.X.X

"He we are." Yagura said, gesturing with his hands as they entered through a large gate.

Surprise didn't even begin to describe it. Wonder and awe was evident on the faces of eight of the jinchuriki as the Sanbi brought them to a large compound that was only a few blocks down from the Mizukage's tower. The district wasn't big, but it wasn't small either. It was very traditional looking in nature, and looked like something out of a shrine or dojo. There was a large pond set off to the left of the district with a fair sized dojo next to it. An old storehouse could be seen near the back end of the enormous backyard area with other small buildings placed here and there. The largest building sat in the middle of the compound and was very sizeable. It was half the Mizukage tower's height, but twice its width. Fresh grass, a clean pond, soft dirt, living quarters that weren't trashed or on the verge of falling apart…

Needless to say, a majority of the jinchuriki had never even set foot in a place that seemed so extravagant. To most of them, it was one of the most beautiful places any of them had ever seen.

And this was where they would be _living _for as long as they stayed in Kirigakure…

"You're such a kind man, Yagura-sama!" Roshi smiled amicably, slinging an arm over the shorter man's shoulders. Naruto, Yugito, Fu, and Bee were already looking around the place with excited gestures and movements. "This place is great! And it's so clean! And you're letting us stay here?"

"Are you complaining?" Yagura asked, frowning as he gingerly lifted the Yonbi container's arm off of him.

"Not at all! Not at all!" Roshi laughed. "I'm just… flattered is all! I'll bet you had men working night and day to set this place up for your fellow jinchuriki! I had expected something similar to where you kept us before our little get together but this is something else! You must've put so much work into-!"

"Not as much as you think, Roshi-san." Yagura interrupted the man with a sigh. "This district was actually owned by a clan that had once resided in Kirigakure."

"Where are they now?" Utakata asked curiously.

"Dead." Yagura replied shortly.

Utakata looked surprised by that abrupt statement while Roshi's wistful smile suggested he had a suspected just that. Gaara shivered when he heard Han's quiet laughter.

"Rest assured, the houses have been cleaned up and anything that had been falling apart has already been repaired. None of you should have any problems living here." Yagura informed them. "If you do find anything that isn't to your liking, don't be afraid to let me know."

"Yagura-san, this place is HUGE!" Naruto exclaimed, waving his arms around for emphasis as he ran around the small plaza area. "And you're letting us LIVE here?"

"Of course. I made sure to- oomph!"

Yagura grunted when the Kyuubi container suddenly shot forward and latched onto the Mizukage's midsection, voicing his gratitude at a mile a minute.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Naruto gushed, his expression one of complete and utter joy. "I've never lived somewhere this nice before!"

"I don't think any of us have." Utakata commented with a light smile.

"Ahem… yes, well…" Yagura said as he awkwardly pushed Naruto off of him and gestured to the main house. "I'll let you explore most of the facilities for yourselves, but I'd at least like to show you around the main quarters. Yugito-san, please grab Fu-san and Bee-san."

Yugito quickly collected the other two wandering containers who also voiced their amazement in a similar way Naruto had, even if Fu was more reluctant to admit it or show her gratitude, and followed Yagura and the rest of the jinchuriki into the large building that they would be staying in. The inside was even more extravagant than the outside by most of their standards. Everyone silently agreed with Naruto and Utakata about never living anyplace so nice. A large living room greeted them as they entered through the sliding door that led inside the house. Couches, a small table, a bookshelf, a desk, and other smaller things were scattered around the room. The kitchen was rather large as well, and rightly so since it would be serving eight people. Yagura said that the refrigerator and pantry were already stocked, but the jinchuriki would have to cook for themselves. The Mizukage politely urged the older containers to cook for the younger ones, much to the annoyance of Han and Utakata. Even Bee looked a little reluctant. The house had all the essentials for a large family to live in and seemed very accommodating. It even had a large open air hot spring in the back of the house, something Han was rather excited about. None of them really had any complaints about the house.

Until they got upstairs…

"You want us to what?" Han asked, glaring at their benefactor as he stared at the four doors that would become their rooms.

The problem with that is that there were eight of them who would be living there. Only four rooms to live in led to only one conclusion…

"The rooms were designed to house two people. Therefore, I'd like all of you to select one person to room with." Yagura stated.

"Why can't we have our own rooms?" Utakata asked, uncomfortable with the idea of sharing his room with another person.

"I want all of you to get along. I felt that this system would help you all get used to each other." Yagura told him. "This will force each of you to interact with one another in some way or another."

"That's cool with _me_!" Bee grinned. "Now, who wants to be MY _roomie_?"

"Oh, hell no…" Han muttered in disgust as he took a step away from the Hachibi container. Utakata also took a step back, trying his best not to make eye contact with the rapping teen.

"Fu-chan, would you like to be my roommate?" Yugito asked, ignoring her friend's antics as he tried to convince one of the older containers to room with him.

"Why do I have to stay with you?" Fu asked rudely, scrunching up her nose as though she smelled something terrible.

"Um, well, we're both girls and I've never had a friend other than Bee who was close to my own age, so I'd like it if we got along." Yugito smiled, trying to be friendly. "Plus, I think it'd be improper for you to stay with one of the guys."

"Improper…?" Fu questioned, looking curious.

"Well… guys and girls don't usually…"

"Relax. It's not like any of us are going to molest her if we room with her. I certainly don't find underage girls a turn on." Han scoffed, overhearing the conversation and embarrassing Yugito. He smirked at Bee. "Although I'm not going to say I speak for all of us."

"Hey! Was that an insult?" Bee demanded.

"Oh, look at that, looks like we've got a genius in this house." Han retorted, rolling his eyes.

"Why you…!" Bee said, grabbing the taller boy by the collar. "You wanna go?"

"Please, like you could even be a match for-"

"Han, Bee." Yagura interrupted the two. "Please, at least try to get along?"

"Ah… hehe, sorry." Bee smiled apologetically the Mizukage for trying to start something and turned towards Han. "We cool?"

"No. Get off."

"Why don't you be my roommate, Han-kun? We're both from Iwagakure, aren't we?" Roshi asked, slinging an arm around the boy's shoulders.

Han fixed him with a look of self-loathing.

"…You don't have to look so disgusted by the prospect."

As Bee and Roshi started to argue over who would be Han's roommate, something which annoyed the Gobi container to no end, Naruto made his way over to the small, silent Ichibi container who was trying his best to hide behind Yagura's leg. Sand pooled near the boy's feet, moving occasionally but most of it was surprisingly still. Gaara shrank back when he noticed the blond boy's attention on him, but blinked in surprise when the Kyuubi container smiled at him.

"Hi!" Naruto greeted him cheerfully. "You're name is Gaara, right?"

"Y-Yes…" Gaara nodded uncertainly.

"I'm Naruto!" The boy smiled, reintroducing himself. "I'm seven years old, I like ramen and the color orange, and I want to be a ninja! Wanna be my roommate?"

"R-Roommate?" Gaara stuttered, eyes wide. "Y-You want to stay with me?"

"Sure! We can be friends!" Naruto grinned widely. He gave Gaara an imploring look. "Do you want to be my friend, Gaara?"

The Ichibi container just stared at the blond kid with wide eyes. This boy was asking to be his friend? He wasn't scared of him? He had acted the same why during their meeting at the Mizukage's tower. The boy clutched onto his teddy bear as he looked over the smiling boy. He wasn't going to hurt him, right?

"W-We can be friends…?" Gaara asked, afraid of the answer.

"Yeah! You'll be my first friend ever!" Naruto grinned. "So can we be roommates, please?"

As Naruto drawled out his please, almost as if he was begging for something, despite himself, Gaara smiled.

"Okay…" The boy nodded.

"YEAH!" Naruto cheered, shooting forward and crushing the younger boy in a hug. The sand spiked for a moment, but settled down when Gaara heard Naruto's laughter. The boy looked up towards Yagura. "Gaara can stay with me, right Yagura-san?"

"If he wants to." Came the blunt, indifferent reply.

"Yay!" Naruto cheered as he proceeded to hug the living daylights out of his first and only friend. Gaara was a limp as a ragdoll as Naruto continued to spin him around. When he finally put the smaller boy down, Naruto immediately started tugging on the boy's hand. "Let's go see what our room looks like!"

"Not yet, Naruto." Yagura said, prying the boy's fingers off of Gaara's wrist and pulling the Ichibi container towards him. "There's something I have to do about Gaara's seal."

"The thing that keeps the Ichibi sealed up?" Naruto asked. He silently congratulated himself for remembering what Yagura had told him about the demon's seals.

"Yes. Gaara's seal is unique, or rather, it wasn't a very strong seal." Yagura explained. "The seal makes it so that when Gaara goes to sleep, the Ichibi comes out."

"My seal won't do that, will it?" Naruto asked curiously. Did it do that before? Was that why the villagers hated him too?

"No, no… as I said, Gaara's is unique. Only his seal reacts this way." Yagura explained patiently. "I'll drop Gaara off in your room once I've properly modified his seal. Come along, Gaara."

"O-Okay…" Gaara nodded, not quite understanding what was going on. He gave Naruto a shy wave of goodbye, silently overjoyed when the boy gave an enthusiastic wave back and a "see you later" as well.

As Gaara was led back downstairs, a sudden realization ran through the boy's mind.

"_I made a friend!"_

For the first time in many years, a true smile full of happiness broke out on the Ichibi container's face.

Back upstairs Han grimaced as the Yonbi and Hachibi containers continued discuss who should room with him. The Gobi container dreaded the thought with rooming with either of them. One was an idiot who rhymed and the other was an overly-familiar drunkard. Neither of the two was an appealing option for a roommate.

"Han-san."

The teen turned when he felt someone tap his shoulder. He found himself looking down at the Rokubi container's lazy looking face.

"I think it'd be best if the two of us were roommates." Utakata said as if he were negotiating something. That was actually close to the truth, since he too didn't want to get stuck with Bee or Roshi. "I promise to keep to myself and not bother you so long as you do the same. Both of us desire little to no interaction and if either of us is stuck with the Hachibi or Yonbi jinchurikis we'll never get the peace we desire. I think we can both tolerate sharing a living space together if it means keeping away from the two of them."

"Agreed." Han said instantly, intent on not letting the generous off slip through his fingers.

Without another word, the Gobi and Rokubi containers stepped into their room and proceeded to ignore everything going on outside of it. Yugito eventually managed to convince Fu to room with her, and they too entered their room without a word.

Naruto, without anyone else to talk to, made his way over to the remaining two containers.

"So you guys are going to be roommates then?" Naruto asked.

"Nah, we were just deciding who…" Bee trailed off when he noticed only Roshi and Naruto remained. "Uh…"

"I suppose we are." Roshi chuckled. "How about it, Bee-kun? You don't mind being my roommate, do you?"

"That's cool with me, _foo_!" Bee smiled. "Just so long as it's cool with _you_!"

"Um… Bee-san?" Naruto asked shyly.

"Whassup?" Bee smiled at the boy.

"What's that thing you keep doing?" Naruto asked.

"What thing, _kid_? You gotta be specific if you're referring to something the awesome Killer Bee _did_!"

"You did it again!" Naruto said excitedly. "What is it?"

"You mean my rapping?" Bee asked, smiling cheekily at the younger container. "Don't mind it too much. It's just something that I do."

"What's rap?" Naruto asked innocently.

"…" Bee was silent for a few moments before firmly grasping the kid's shoulders. "Kid, I've got a something to teach you."

Roshi chuckled to himself as Bee pulled a surprised Naruto into their room. The Yonbi container followed them with an amused look on his face.

At least things weren't boring in Kirigakure.

X.X.X.X.X

"Y-Yagura-san…?"

"Just calm down and sit still, Gaara. I'm almost done."

Yagura drew a few more kanji symbols on the boy's back before stepping away. The Ichibi's seal was located on the red head's back and Yagura was modifying it to make it more stable. Having already extensively researched bijuu and seals relating to the demons when he was young so he could better understand the Sanbi, Yagura had an ample understanding of seals himself. Discussing theories with Minato and Kushina had also helped him a few times in the past.

"This should be fine…" Yagura muttered to himself.

He checked over the scroll he had written himself that contained all information about bijuu and seals he knew one last time. It looked like he had gotten the formula correct. It was a rather simple modification. While it wouldn't completely seal the Ichibi's chakra, hence sand would probably still follow Gaara around until he gained control of the demon's chakra for himself, Gaara should be able to fall asleep without letting the Ichibi out to play.

"Take a deep breath, Gaara." Yagura said calmly. "It will only take a few seconds to apply the new properties to your seal."

"W-W-Will it h-hurt?" Gaara asked nervously.

"It shouldn't. At least not too much." Yagura replied tonelessly as he made a few hand seals. He slammed his palm into the boy's back. "SEAL!"

Gaara jerked as the kanji drawn on his arms and back glowed red and were absorbed into the spiral like sun that was his seal. The color faded to black once again when the modifications were made to the seal. Yagura nodded in satisfaction when nothing unexpected took place.

"Y-Yagura-san…! I'm feeling sleepy…!"

Yagura arched an eyebrow at the boy's worried tone. The boy was panicking?

"I… I can't fall asleep! If I do… then…!" Gaara could already feel himself nodding off.

He started to hyperventilate. He was trying his best to stay awake but he couldn't! It was going to happen again! He'd start killing people even though he didn't want to! The sands would run red even if he didn't want to kill anymore!

He was so scared! He couldn't…!

Gaara blinked when a gentle hand was placed on top of his head. It was the same hand that had saved him before…

"It's okay, Gaara…" Yagura said softly. "You don't have to kill anyone. You're not going to kill anyone. The Ichibi is sealed away now. You can sleep…"

"I… I'm afraid…" Gaara whispered fearfully. His eyes were starting to droop.

"It's okay… It'll be fine…" Yagura whispered as he comfortingly rubbed the boy's head. "It's okay to sleep, Gaara… go to sleep… sleep…"

"I'm… so… sleepy…" Gaara murmured before his eyes closed completely.

Yagura caught him before the boy fell. The Mizukage stared at Gaara for a few moments, looking for any signs of discomfort or trying to sense if the Ichibi's chakra was acting up. After listening to the boy's soft breathing Yagura was satisfied and picked the sleeping boy up in his arms.

He'd drop him off in his room before heading back to the Mizukage's tower. He had some paperwork to finish before the day was over anyway.

X.X.X.X.X

"Um… Fu-chan?"

"What?"

Yugito shifted uncomfortably when the girl glared at her. The room was wide, but pretty vacant. It had two queen sized beds, two closets, a small living room, and a large bathroom that could probably fit more than four people comfortably. There was even a small stove to cook meals for a snack. Yugito had just finished unpacking what little belongings she had brought from Kumo while Fu and practically jumped onto the bed she took for herself and wrapped herself in a cocoon of covers. It was already getting late, and the setting sun filtered through the windows of their room.

Yugito was happy that she finally had a girl her age she was friends, er, _could _be friends with. She really hoped that she and Fu could get along with each other and become friends since she had always wanted a girl close to her own age she could play with. Bee was fun and definitely her best friend, but he couldn't understand a lot of the feminine things Yugito took interest since he was a boy.

Unfortunately, Fu didn't seem too keen on making friends.

"What's Takigakure like?" Yugito asked, trying to break the ice.

"It was terrible. People beat me up and hit me with sharp things." Fu growled, burrowing herself deeper into her bed as if to escape from the chatty girl that was her roommate.

"Oh…" Yugito trailed off. Minus three points for that topic. "What… what kind of foods do you like?"

"Apples."

"How come?"

"'Cause that's what I always stole from the marketplace."

"Oh…" Yugito paused again. That didn't help. "Do… Do you have any friends back in Takigakure?"

"That's not funny!" Came the muffled yell.

"O-Oh…" Yugito winced when the girl shouted at her. This wasn't going well. "How… What's your favorite color?"

That was a pretty neutral question, right? She couldn't be offended by that.

The ball of covers was silent for a few moments before two orange eyes could bee seen glaring at her from through the sheets.

"…Orange."

"Why is that?" Yugito asked, interested in her answer.

"My eyes are orange and so's my hairclip." Fu answered, still glaring at the girl.

Yugito covered her mouth as she tried to stifle a few giggles. She couldn't help it. To her, Fu looked kind of cute huddled in a ball on her bed like that. Talking to her was like trying to coax a wild animal into eating food from your hand. You had to be careful so you didn't scare it off.

Though Fu seemed more like the type that would bite you if you scared her.

"My favorite color's blue." Yugito smiled.

"Orange is better." Fu insisted.

"Well, everyone has their own opinion."

"Orange is still the best." Fu said adamantly.

Yugito sighed. The Nanabi container was rather difficult and she couldn't play this game all day. She glanced out the window towards the setting sun.

"Wanna take a bath with me?" Yugito asked out of the blue.

Kunoichi back home always seemed so friendly at the hot springs and never complained when Yugito joined them even though she was a jinchuriki. Maybe she could bond with Fu the same way?

"No."

W-What a quick reply!

"…Why do I have to take a bath with you?" Fu asked.

"You don't have to… but I was thinking it would be a good chance to talk to each other." Yugito said slowly.

"I don't like that." Fu said disdainfully.

"Fu-chan, please? I really want to try and become friends." Yugito begged her."

"…If I take a bath with you, will you stop talking to me?" Fu asked.

"W-Well, I'll try not to bother you."

"Muuu… fine." Fu moaned, throwing the covers off her body and headed towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Yugito asked.

"To find a river. You take baths there stupid." Fu said as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"We have a bathroom to use for that though."

"What's that?"

Yugito fell over from the shock of being asked such a ridiculous question.

"F-Fu-chan, didn't you have a bathroom at your old house?"

"What house?" Fu demanded, crossing her arms. "My parents got rid of me and I lived in the forest near Takigakure. I only came to town to get food!"

Yugito's mouth fell open at that. She had assumed that the other containers had lived a similar life to hers. Surely everyone within their group had suffered some sort of mistreatment, but hadn't the village supported them to some extent? That had been the case for Bee and herself since the Raikage and his advocates watched over them, and Naruto and Roshi seemed so easygoing and friendly that their lives couldn't have been so terrible, right?

Then again, Han face maintained that intimidating scowl no matter what and Utakata didn't seem particularly friendly either. She would've gotten the same vibe from the Mizukage were he not their benefactor. She couldn't say much about Gaara, but the boy seemed afraid of just about anyone and anything. Fu was obviously hostile towards her because of the life she had lived prior to coming to Kirigakure.

Yugito felt a little bad about that. Maybe she had been acting a little insensitive. She always thought that she had had a tough life because of all the rejection and prejudice she face back in Kumo, but how bad did she really have it compared to Fu, Gaara, or Han? Heck, even Naruto or Roshi could just be putting on a front…

Even still, Yugito would try to be friendly with all of them, even if they hated her in return.

Though she had to admit, it was rather amusing showing Fu how to work the faucet in the bathtub. The Nibi container spent at least ten minutes teaching a surprised Nanabi container how it worked.

X.X.X.X.X

Utakata calmly turned the page of the book he was reading, the one he had picked out of the many that were settled inside the bookshelf next to his bed.

The room suited him, the Rokubi container decided. While it was rather empty right now, which allowed him to set things up for himself at a later time, it was a plain design that suited his tastes. A bookshelf with various books had already been set up for him and a small work desk was placed in the corner. Han hadn't really commented on much, simply going about his own thing in the living room while he worked on those red armored plates of his.

Utakata wasn't too keen on getting comfortable with the other containers, and he had agreed to room with Han for their mutual benefit…

…But it wouldn't kill the Gobi container to be a _little _friendlier.

Still, something about Han rubbed Utakata the wrong way. It wasn't the insults, constant scowl, or that you-even-think-about-screwing-with-me-and-I'll-rip-your-head-off attitude did it, rather it was the older teen's bloodlust.

Utakata was surprised that he hadn't felt it earlier. The intense feelings of loathing and hatred Han felt for… well, pretty much everything was surprising. Utakata had met plenty of maniacs, assassins, and other crazies in his short life, but never had he met anyone as apathetic as the Gobi container.

The Mizukage wanted them to get along, but Utakata knew that it was impossible for Han.

"_Well, I suppose I can at least relate to him somewhat." _Utakata thought to himself.

Utakata had the exact same feelings of hatred for his late sensei. Han's hatred was just on a much broader scale than his.

X.X.X.X.X

"That's so cool!"

Bee blushed under the praise he was receiving from the happy Kyuubi container, who was practically bursting as the seams with hero-worship. After Bee had explained rap to Naruto and given a few demonstrations, the boy had been in awe with what he thought was a "very cool" way of talking.

"It's… interesting, to say the least." Roshi smiled as he took a sip from his bottle of sake. He wasn't annoyed by Bee's eccentrics in the least. He found them pretty entertaining. "Where did you learn this art of rap, Bee-kun?"

"I read it in a _book_ my big bro gave me once and rap caught me by the _hook_!" Bee grinned.

"How do you rap, anyway?" Naruto asked.

"Little Naru_to_, it's actually quite simple, _yo_." Bee grinned. "Just rhyme the words you already _know _and soon enough you'll be rappin' like a _pro_!"

"Hahahaha! That's awesome!" Naruto laughed.

"It's valuable _wisdom_!" Bee laughed, using Naruto's word to rhyme. "After all, it comes straight from _me_ the cool and _handsome _Killer _Bee_!"

Both Naruto and Roshi laughed at Bee's creative rap. Naruto was literally bouncing from the excitement of learning about something so cool!

"Can I try? Can I?" Naruto asked giddily.

"You don't need my permission." Bee said, sitting down on the floor and gesturing to him. "Let's see what you've got!"

"Okay! Um…" Naruto thought hard about some words he could rhyme. "What can I rap about?"

"Anything! It can be about you, about something that happened today, or even what you ate for breakfast." Bee smiled. "Just make sure it rhymes!"

"Right! Uh… H-Hi! I'm Naru_to_!" The Kyuubi jinchuriki began, but paused when he couldn't think of anything to rhyme. "As… as you all should _know_! I… don't have any… tat_toos_…?"

Bee burst out laughing as Naruto continued to stumble over his rhymes. Most of them didn't even rhyme. Roshi leaned against the wall with a smirk of bemusement pasted on his features.

"I like _ramen _and I like eating it _again_ and _again_… I like orange 'cause it's… um…" Naruto stopped. "What rhymes with orange?"

"Ah! You stumbled upon the taboo word of rap!" Bee said. "Orange is one of the only words that doesn't have anything to rhyme with it!"

"What? No way!" Naruto whined. "But that's my favorite color too…"

"You can still use it in rap." Bee said. "Just because orange isn't a rhyming col_or_, you've gotta find words that make it flow _more_. See?"

"Oh… okay!" Naruto nodded his head in understanding. He turned towards Roshi. "Why don't you try it, Roshi-jiji?"

"Jiji? I'm still in my thirties, boy!" Roshi said, giving him a playful glare.

"C'mon old man! Show us some old school rap!" Bee insisted.

"Hmph. Alright brats you better listen to _me_, I'm still quite young as you can plainly _see_. I can _pull_ my own weight and I'm not even forty-_three_. I fight like a _bull_ and can climb any _tree_. I'm really strong _too_, don't even test me it's _true_. You even think about messing with me and it'll be the end for _you_. I'm fast like a _bird_ and hot as red _chili_, listen to me rap with these _words_, this old man's got quite a healthy _body_! Rapp_ing_ isn't hard, really words are all the _same_. Bow down punks, Art of Rap is some_thing_ old man Roshi just _tamed_!"

Roshi struck a pose for a moment as Bee and Naruto stared at him with their mouths hanging open. Almost immediately the Hachibi container got down on his knees and pressed his head to the floor, grabbing Naruto's head and forced him to do the same.

"All bow before the Hermit of Rap! May his rhymes always be cool and slick!" Bee laughed as he and Naruto bowed to the Yonbi container.

"Why is it so hard for me to rap?" Naruto pouted, crossing his arms.

"I'm sure all it takes is a little practice, Naruto-kun." Roshi assured the boy. "It was your first time rapping after all."

"It was yours too!"

"Well, some things come easier to people who have years of experience under their belt." Roshi said proudly.

"See, it's that kind of thing that makes you sound like an old man." Bee chuckled.

"What's with that? I'm only thirty-nine…" Roshi sighed. He glanced out the window. It was getting dark. "Naruto-kun, I think it's time you went back to your room."

"Huh? But I want to stay with you and Bee-san!" Naruto complained.

"Yeah. Let's hear some more rap first." Bee agreed.

Roshi smiled a bit. It was both relieving and touching to see that the two boys seemed to like him so much. Definitely different from all the hated glares and fearful glances he was already used to.

"We'll have more time to talk in the morning. Kids should go to bed early." Roshi advised him.

"Ah… you sound just like Jiji-san." Naruto muttered. He pulled a bright smile onto his face as he headed towards the door. "Thanks for letting me talk with you guys."

"No problem! Our doors are always open for you! Right, Roshi?" Bee smiled.

"Of course. We were glad to have you, Naruto-kun." Roshi nodded towards the boy.

Naruto gave them a final wave before shutting the door behind him. After he left, Bee chuckled to himself and struck a confident pose with his chest sticking out.

"Heh, day one in Kiri and I've already got myself a disciple." Bee smirked.

"I wonder what Naruto's life was like before coming here." Roshi wondered, ignoring Bee's comment.

The boy practically radiated happiness and hyperactivity. Just seeing him bounce around and respond so positively to every little thing they did _made _Roshi feel like an old man. The other jinchuriki, bar Bee and Yugito, seemed extremely antisocial and even hostile, but the Yonbi container knew that was due to their harsh lives brought on by their jinchuriki status. Had Naruto's life been easier than theirs had?

Well, if that was true, there was no point in Naruto coming to Kirigakure, was there?

"Bee-kun, we're friends, yes?" Roshi asked, turning away from those thoughts.

"Totally! We're roommates so it's great if we could be!" Bee smiled.

"Good, good." Roshi smiled as pulled out two cups from a pouch around his waist and handed one to Bee, who took it with a confused look on his face. "Then in honor of our being new friends and roommates, I say… let's drink!"

"But… I can't drink." Bee said. Even while he was protesting, Roshi filled his glass to the brim.

"Sure you can! You were a ninja in your village, right? That makes you an adult and able to share a drink with friends!"

"Um…" Bee was still uneasy. He had never even tasted alcohol before, but he had always been curious.

"I'll let you in on a secret." Roshi whispered, leaning close to the boy. "Being a jinchuriki means we have an advanced healing factor."

"Well, duh! I already knew that!"

"No, but that means we aren't influenced as strongly by alcohol. We won't get hangovers and none of our organs will be damaged by excessive drinking!" Roshi grinned. "I would've keeled over long ago if not for that!"

With the amount of alcohol he inhaled everyday, without that healing factor his liver would have exploded before he had even finished his twenties.

"Hm… ah, what the heck!" Bee smiled. If the healing factor made it so nothing would happen, nothing was wrong with a few sips. He just had to make sure Yugito didn't find out. "Bottoms up!"

Roshi watched in amusement as Bee downed his drink, patiently waiting for the alcohol to take its toll. He hadn't been lying about immunity to organ failure, though he had fudged the truth about hangovers. He would still get one, but not as severe as some others got them. Not only that, but Bee would still get drunk and tipsy. And with the kind of booze Roshi was giving him that was bound to happen very, very soon.

X.X.X.X.X

Naruto flung open the door to his room and looked around the place. The sun had already set but even in the darkness he could tell the room was spacious, fixed, and clean. It was pretty much everything his old apartment hadn't been. So when Naruto caught sight of one of the two big, comfy beds, he immediately acted on impulse and threw himself onto the mattress.

Instead of meeting soft fabric, he landed on something much harder and bumpy.

"Ouch! Is that a pillow?" Naruto wondered as he lifted the covers off whatever he landed on.

He blinked when he saw a sleeping Gaara curled up in the bed. The Ichibi container shifted a bit before blearily opening his eyes.

"Mmph… ugh… hm…? Naruto-san…?" Gaara asked, as he rubbed his eyes. "Where… am I?"

"In our room! I guess Yagura-san must've dropped you off here after that thing he said he'd do with your seal was finished." Naruto smiled. "Sorry for waking you up."

"Wake up…?" Gaara whispered, looking incredibly confused by what Naruto said. His eyes widened when the realization dawned on him. "I was asleep!"

Naruto blinked when the smaller boy suddenly grabbed his shoulders.

"I WAS ASLEEP?" Gaara practically shouted.

"Yeah!" Naruto nodded, saying it like he was congratulating Gaara for something. "…Why are you yelling about that?"

"I… I didn't hurt anyone, did I?" Gaara whispered. "I didn't… kill anyone, did I?"

"What? No!" Naruto said incredulously. "You were sleeping! How could a sleepy person hurt anyone?"

Gaara sat in front of him with wide eyes. Naruto panicked when he noticed Gaara's eyes well up with tears.

"G-Gaara? What's wrong? Did I say something wrong?" Naruto asked worriedly. He blinked again when the small boy suddenly hugged him.

"I… I didn't kill anyone. I can sleep. Yagura-san really…" Gaara trailed off as he broke out into sobs. "Thank goodness… I so happy…"

Poor Naruto was at a loss. Part of him wondered whether or not he should ask Roshi or Bee for help since he knew nothing about consoling someone when they were upset. But another part of him told him to be there for his first friend who was crying, but it didn't sound like it was because he was sad.

So Naruto, being the goodhearted child he was, simply smiled and gave Gaara the most comforting hug he could. Gaara stiffened for a moment but immediately relaxed, an action that went unnoticed by Naruto.

"So…" Naruto began as he patted the boy's back. "Why did you think you had killed someone?"

Naruto was surprised when he heard Gaara's soft breathing and light snoring.

"Zzzzz…"

"…You fell asleep? Just like that?" Naruto asked the sleeping boy. Naruto laughed to himself and placed Gaara down on the bed, making sure to cover him back up with the sheets after he was done. "You're kinda weird, Gaara."

But that made him fun and interesting in Naruto's eyes! He finally had a friend, no, friends to play with! And they liked him! With a giddy burst of energy Naruto jumped onto the other bed and buried himself within the covers.

For once, he couldn't wait until tomorrow came around!

X.X.X.X.X

"Mizukage-sama."

"Come in Ao." Yagura said, looking up from his paperwork. "Is there something you…" Yagura paused when he saw the huge stack of papers Ao was holding. "…Wanted…"

A small smile made its way onto Ao's face. Yagura had gone through so much in his life that it was extremely hard to phase or get any sort of rise out of the man. The one exception was paperwork, which his leader both hated and feared.

"You disappeared for almost two weeks to gather the jinchuriki together." Ao pointed out. "You'd be surprised how much paperwork can pile up in that short amount of time."

"Indeed…" Yagura said as his advisor placed the large stack on the desk. It actually shook the table.

"Ao-san and I did some of it for you." Came a feminine voice.

Yagura turned his head towards another person who had entered the room behind Ao. His second advisor, Mai Gekidoku. She was a beautiful, shapely woman with shoulder length green hair that was tied in loose braids that framed her face and with bangs that fell in front of her hazel colored eyes. Like Ao, she wore loose robes that hunter ninja often wore.

"Mai-san." Yagura nodded towards her. "You're back from your mission already?"

"I got back just this morning." Mai smiled, bowing before her leader before stepping forward and handing him her report. "The matter has been dealt with quickly and efficiently, Mizukage-sama."

"Survivors?"

"None."

Yagura nodded, grateful that the threat was removed. A small group of ninja had gone rogue and had been causing trouble near the border and blaming Yagura for their actions. There were always people looking to get back at him for some reason or another.

Of course, much of the ire he received was from remnants of bloodline clans still lingering about within their lands. The Purges were still fresh in everyone's mind.

"I… actually came across a survivor of the Kagemusha Clan during the mission."

Ao and Yagura raised their heads towards her in slight surprise. A survivor from the Shadow Warrior Clan Bloodline? That was rare…

"What happened?" Ao asked.

"I said there were no survivors." Mai smiled sweetly at him.

"Good." Yagura said, turning back to his paperwork. "If this was the only survivor then I believe that's one less threat we have to worry about."

Ao and Mai both nodded, accepting the issue for what it was.

These two… were probably the only ones Yagura truly considered his friends. He could call them his friends without hesitation and would not hesitate to place his life in their hands. They had been with him since… well, they had been there for when his life started to improve. The three of them had grown strong together. They were his precious people so it was natural that Yagura made them his two advisors when he became Mizukage. They never undermined his authority, never went against orders, and always trusted his judgment no matter how harsh or cruel it may be. They had faith in him, and Yagura likewise.

The two were more than capable of defending themselves as well, and both were two of the strongest ninja in Kirigakure.

"I was surprised what Ao-san told me when I returned though…" Mai smiled, leaning against the Mizukage's desk. "Jinchuriki…?"

"All nine of them, myself included, are now in Kirigakure." Yagura replied.

"What are your reasons?" Mai asked curiously.

She wasn't criticizing his decision, but was curious about what brought this on.

"I woke up one night and thought to myself that maybe the other jinchuriki needed some help." Yagura answered. "…So I brought them all here to Kirigakure."

"So it was just an impulse, huh?" The woman said softly. "Ao-san told me the same. What are they like?"

"A few of them are pretty friendly, though a few are decidedly hostile." Ao told her. He gave Yagura a stern look. "I have worries about controlling certain jinchu-"

"I am not controlling any of them, Ao." Yagura cut in.

"My apologies. I worded that wrong." Ao said, holding up his hands to pacify the man. "What I meant was that the more dangerous and unstable jinchuriki may be harder to handle. Can we be sure any of them won't harm the village?"

"That's what he has us for, Ao-san." Mai smiled. "We would make such good caretakers, don't you think?"

"Speak for yourself, Mai." Ao deadpanned, giving the woman a small glare.

"If any of them cause trouble you can handle it as you see fit." Yagura answered as he stamped out a few papers. "I want to make things comfortable for them, but we can't just let them roam free either. They'll need constant supervision, and I trust you two are up to the task?"

"We'll help you any way we can." Mai promised him.

"Of course, Mizukage-sama."

"Good." Yagura inclined his head gratefully towards the two. "We'll discuss more of this matter tomorrow. Tell the Seven Swordsmen to meet me here at the tower at eight o'clock in the morning. After you've relayed the message you two are free to go home."

"By your leave." Ao said, bowing towards his leader as Mai did the same. The two of them headed towards the door.

Yagura waited for them to make their final comments of the day.

"Don't stay up too late, Yagura." Ao told him with a small smile as he opened the door. "Trying getting some sleep for once instead of pulling another all nighter."

"Sweet dreams, Yagura-kun." Mai smiled, waving at him before Ao shut the door behind them.

The Mizukage sighed, leaning back in his chair and turned towards the window that overlooked the village. Those two still worried about him and about his demon, even though it had been years since he had reacted violently to the Sanbi's chakra. The only thing that really warranted the duo's concern was the frequent dreams and nightmares the demon plagued him with.

Gaara, Yugito, Roshi, Han, Utakata, Fu, Bee, and Naruto.

Each of them probably had suffered in one way or another, some more than others. Each of them was different, and Yagura knew he would have to take time to get to know each and every one of them if he wanted to help them gain control of their demons.

Yagura sighed again. He had never been a 'people' person, and hadn't really thought of the complications of having all the jinchuriki in one place until after he had brought them together.

Well, he could get through it. Just… it would probably take time for him to get used to things.

The same went for the other jinchuriki too.

* * *

A/N: Extra long chapter to make up for the long wait. It came out well, in my opinion. Hopefully you guys liked it. Ten points to anyone who noticed the reference in this chapter.

**(ATTENTION! PLEASE READ!) **Okay, I've got a lot to say. First off, I made a few edits to the first three chapters. It's nothing too big so that you feel like you should go back and reread the story from Chapter 1 though. It's just a few sentence changes here and there to get a better feel for each jinchuriki's personality. Grammer has been corrected too. The only major change is the age changes (Located in Ch2), and even that's small since added/subtracted one year to each of them. It'll set a better timeline for the story, so don't pay it too much attention.

Anyway, I spent a month or two organizing all the ideas I have for this story and decided on a definitive route to take. This story WILL NOT FOLLOW CANON! I'll definitely still use canon events/characters from the manga/anime, but most of what I'll be writing will be completely original arcs that I'm trying to write up. I've just gotta make everything flow together correctly. Don't start bitching to me about "Hey, that never happened" and "That's not supposed to happen yet" or "That character shouldn't do that" etc. I'll still keep canon characters in character, but certain characters may change due to certain influences (Bee and Naruto). They won't be drastic changes, I assure you.

So whatever is happening right now in the current manga story line, ignore it when it concerns this story. I'm portraying the jinchuriki how I want, end of discussion.

Expect a few OCs here and there. I can't just have Yagura, Ao, and the Seven Swordsman be the only guys from Kiri Naruto and co. interacts with. That's too few. And for those of you who are all "NO! OC bad! OC ruins stories!" calm down, they won't be main characters. The only one who will show up frequently is Mai for obvious/personal reasons.

Mai: I am owned by Kiiam. I hope you'll all like me. I will help move the story along and help characters, mainly the jinchuriki, develop.

Just give my OCs a chance for the sake of the story. Fans of New Life, Second Chances like Yuzura well enough. I ask my readers to have a little faith in me. Despite the stereotype that all original characters ruin a story I will NOT let that happen, I promise.

Speaking of character development, there will be nothing but that for quite a number of chapters. That aspect in a story is VERY important to me, and since we haven't seen a lot of the jinchuriki they're characters are pretty much anything we write them as. These chapters will be for developing the jinchuriki and the people around them. You all should have a pretty good idea of their personalities already, but things will go more in depth in the future chapters. You'll learn about their personalities, what kind of people they are, what their pasts were like, how much their demon influences them, what troubles them, what their goals are… everything you can imagine. I want my characters to EVOLVE and become a part of this story. I know exactly how I want them to develop… I just have to make sure everything is written smoothly to make it so.

Anyway, as for the next chapter I'll be getting around to Konoha's reactions to Naruto's disappearance and we'll introduce a few familiar faces and expect the entire Seven Swordsmen group to make an appearance. Yagura will get his training underway and you'll see where certain characters stand with each other. I'll try to get to issues in Kiri such as the Bloodline Purges, how Yagura became Mizukage and why so many hate him, and how the bijuu (Kyuubi, Hachibi, Ichibi, etc) are reacting to their situation soon. But just because I may not go over certain issues during the next chapter doesn't mean I won't get to them eventually. Feel free to ask questions, people. I encourage you.

Certain things you should all remember right now. Madara DOES NOT have control of Yagura. That never happened. At least not yet. Kisame IS STILL part of the Seven Swordsman, all of whom are still alive. THERE WILL BE PAIRINGS, I'm just undecided right now. I'll mention other things as I remember them.

Anyway, I hope you all like this story. It's going to be a lengthy one and I've got GREAT ideas for it. I just hope you guys will decide to stick around for the ride. Thanks for reading, and I'm sorry for the delay. Have a good one.

Kiiam


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

A/N: Jeez… I love writing this story and I love using the jinchuriki, but this story has like writer's block cancer or something. It's challenging to write certain parts so that the story flows. Well, at least I got past it. I'm happy with how this chapter turned out. Enjoy.

* * *

**Getting Adjusted**

October tenth was supposed to be a day of celebration. It was when the village could pay their respects to the Yondaime and those who had fought with him to subdue the Kyuubi eight years ago. It was a day where people could choose to remember the heroes who sacrificed themselves for the village or a time where grieving families and loved ones could temporarily forget their sorrows and drown them with gallons of sake and laughing friends. While there were obvious feelings of melancholy and remorse everyone in the village was grateful and happy enough to lose themselves within the festivities and have a good old time.

Sarutobi let out a tired sigh as he glanced at the report again. The paper detailed the deaths of three chunin who had been killed, broken necks being the cause, by an unknown third party at Konoha's cemetery around 10:26pm on the date of October tenth during the anniversary of the Yondaime's death during the festival. The Hokage had been alerted by the cemetery's keeper early in the morning as he was returning from the celebrations. ANBU had been deployed and the autopsy had been reported immediately.

While no one had been found guilty yet, everyone in the council had been very quick to point fingers at a certain someone who just so happened to share a birthday on the same day as the festival.

Naruto Uzumaki.

That had been the first person who had been suspected of the murder of three ninja. The Hokage protested these groundless claims when the councilmen had brought it up. Their reasons for suspecting the Kyuubi container were something about the demon striking on the day of its defeat to get revenge, the monster finally succumbing to its true nature after all these years, or even something as ridiculous as calling upon evil demonic spirits to curse Konoha on the night of its defeat. Apparently the fact the murder had occurred in a graveyard had some sort of significance. Taking into account the victims had been found in front of Minato's grave hadn't helped things.

Sarutobi was quick to denounce these claims and immediately ordered a search throughout the village for any other suspects. Apparently, this also translated to "find the demon brat that did this" since many of the ninja deployed had only searched for Naruto.

The Hokage panicked when many reports later he found out that Naruto had disappeared.

He had sent out more ANBU, actually giving them specific orders to find the boy to quell his sudden doubts on the matter. Sarutobi wasn't the only one who panicked when those ANBU couldn't find the boy either.

Almost immediately a council meeting had been called to discuss the disappearance of the "demon".

The Hokage sank in his chair as his face collapsed into his hands. The man groaned in frustration as the thought back to that meeting that had taken place earlier that morning.

X.X.X.X.X

_Hiruzen sat stoically in place as he listened to each of the council members throw accusations and theories at one another concerning Naruto's disappearance and the three chunins' murder. Most of the ninja and civilian council members were in a panic, though the majority of the clan heads attending were rather silent. Some of them looked did look rather worried though._

"_It's obvious that the demon is behind this!" One councilman said, pounding his fist on the table. "After all these years of waiting it finally decided to strike!"_

"_Only now we can't find the brat…" Another councilwoman remarked suspiciously. _

"_We should've seen this coming. It was only a matter of time before that boy succumbed to the demon's influence!" Another councilman said, clearly distressed. "We should've killed it when we had the chance!"_

"_That's enough!" Sarutobi roared, slamming his fists down on the table with a resounding bang, causing every council member to immediately silence themselves. It was rare for the Hokage to get angry, but he was through with all these baseless accusations. "On what grounds do you blame Naruto? He is a child! How do you expect him to kill experienced ninja of this village?"_

"_It may not have been the child's doing!" One council member pointed out. "Only the Kyuubi could have done something like this!"_

"_If it had been the Kyuubi, why were only three ninja killed?" Sarutobi asked with a low tone. "Wouldn't this village be up in flames if the Kyuubi had been the one behind this?"_

"_T-That's…"_

"_Why are all of you so quick to blame Naruto when not one of you has concrete evidence that he was indeed the one who did it?" Sarutobi demanded. "Don't spout random accusations when you have nothing to base them on in the first place!"_

"_Hokage-sama, I don't think they're suggesting it was young Naruto who did this, but rather the demon inside him influenced him to do so." Kotaru, one of Sarutobi's old teammates who served as his advisor along with Homura, said neutrally. "While we have no proof that says the boy did commit the crime, we have no evidence to suggest that he didn't kill our ninja either."_

"_Why blame Naruto for this if there is no evidence that even relates to him?"_

"_Well, the fact of the matter is that Naruto has gone missing. And on the night of the Kyuubi's sealing… is that mere coincidence?" Homura asked from next to Kotaru. "The chance of this being some covert operation or sign of attack from another village is unlikely since none of the victims had really stood out. They were good ninja, but just regular chunin. And with Naruto's sudden disappearance, who else can we blame?"_

_Sarutobi remained silent. He couldn't deny what his friend was saying for two reasons. One, he was right in saying that Naruto had gone missing and that itself would definitely warrant suspicion given the boy's reputation and… condition. The second reason was that Hiruzen didn't want to bring any attention to the sudden visit he had received from a special guest a couple days ago. _

_The Mizukage couldn't have…_

"_What… what if the demon left?" _

_All eyes turned towards the same skittish council member who had spoken up. He cleared his throat when everyone's attention was on him and cracked a small, hopeful smile._

"_Well, the demon-"_

"_Naruto." Sarutobi cut in, losing his patience._

"…_If the boy has really disappeared, should we really spend all this time worrying about it?" The man asked. "While it is terrible that we've lost three fine chunin, the lack of casualties shows that the demon shouldn't be free or anything. If it rids us of the demon, should we even try to look for it?"_

_Sarutobi's eyes widened in disbelief at the councilman's words and his shock rose when most of the other members of the council were actually agreeing with his words! Naruto was missing and they were all that willing to just brush the matter under the table?_

"_Now hold on, this is the jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Yoko we're talking about." Shikaku Nara spoke up. "We can't just accept things just like that, can we?"_

"_I agree. Keeping an eye on the boy also means making sure that the Kyuubi stays sealed." Shibi Aburame added. "You can't expect our problems to disappear just because the container is gone."_

_While some of the council opened their mouths to form a rebuttal, Kotaru beat them to it._

"_Fellow council members, there are many things we have to take into account here." Kotaru announced. "Shikaku and Shibi raise good points. The Kyuubi, even sealed, is a very dangerous entity and needs to be monitored closely to prevent it from breaking its seal. It is why Naruto, the container, lives with us in Konoha no only for our safety but for his own as well. We should do our utmost to make sure that the boy is found and determine whether or not he really is behind this murder. However, unless the Kyuubi has affected the boy like some of you claim, I find it highly doubtful that that's the case seeing as how he is a mere child."_

"_We cannot pretend Naruto doesn't exist. Ignoring him and the fact that he is indeed the jinchuriki of the nine-tailed fox will only threaten our village." Sarutobi said, nodding gratefully to Kotaru as he picked things up. "We'll send search parties out to look for the boy. It has only been a few days, and if he's left the village, he couldn't have gone far."_

"_I'll gather a list of ninja who are available and send them out." Homura said. "We'll get our best trackers to search for the boy."_

"_That would be for the best." The Hokage nodded at him. "I'll also set up a few teams to search for suspicious individuals within the village. Despite what most of you are saying…" Sarutobi glared a few councilmen who had been rather vocal in their accusations against Naruto. "We don't have any don't have any proof that the boy killed those ninja and it is possible that there may be a rogue within the village. Now, are there anymore questions or suggestions regarding this case?"_

_Sarutobi was relieved by the lack of response he got at first, but his hopes for an ending to this meeting were dashed when a civilian council member spoke up._

"_Hokage-sama, hypothetically speaking, if we can't find the boy… what then?" _

"_What makes you think we won't be able to find him?" Inochi asked, arching an eyebrow at the man who spoke._

"_N-Nothing. I'm just saying, is all…" The man trailed off. "What would we do in that situation?"_

_Everyone turned towards their Hokage, waiting for an answer. The man silently sat in his seat, thinking the situation over in his head._

_He could answer Inochi's question if he wanted to. Why shouldn't they be able to find Naruto?_

_But Sarutobi was willing to keep his own suspicions a secret if it meant preventing a war between two villages._

"…_If we can't find Naruto Uzumaki then… we'll have to accept that." The Hokage said finally. "As long as he doesn't cause trouble for us… then there's no reason for us to spend more time searching for him than is needed."_

_Sarutobi sighed when nobody responded to this and rose to his feet._

"_This council meeting is adjourned."_

_The council members talked and conversed amongst themselves as they walked out of the room. Sarutobi stood where he was until he was sure all the members had left._

"_It would be a shame if we really lost him." _

_Sarutobi turned when he heard that familiar voice. Danzo stood near the door, giving the Hokage an expressionless look._

"_To lose a weapon with that much potential… it would really be a shame."_

_The old war hawk left before he could see Sarutobi's expression of anger and digust._

X.X.X.X.X

Sarutobi sighed as he leaned back in his chair. He turned towards the window that overlooked Konohagakure. It was late at night and most of the village was probably asleep, and he was probably the only one who worrying about just how much Naruto's disappearance could affect the village.

It wasn't the boy's disappearance that would actually affect Konoha. Sarutobi let out a dry, self-deprecating chuckle when he realized the very likely possibility of the village's pariah and residential demon's disappearance would cause many to rejoice. No, it was the circumstances of Naruto's disappearance that worried the Hokage. The only other culprit behind the deaths of three chunin…

The Mizukage of Kirigakure, Yagura.

Sarutobi had kept his meeting with the man a secret, and now he was glad that he did. Of course it was unusual for another Kage to visit a foreign village, especially when there was no treaty of peace between them, so Sarutobi was probably the only one who knew of the Mizukage's unannounced arrival and of what they discussed.

Yagura had wanted to take Naruto away from the village to train him in controlling the Kyuubi.

The Mizukage was… cold, direct, and unfeeling if Hiruzen had to put it into words. He was even more stoic that Hiashi, Shibi, or certain members of the council. Sarutobi knew that his personality was probably due to his connection with the Sanbi and his jinchuriki status, but it wasn't something he had a right to question. Even still, when the man had suddenly showed up a couple days ago during the Yondaime's Memorial festival and volunteered to train Naruto, Sarutobi couldn't help but wonder what his motives were. Surely the man had known what a foolish request that was.

Though… Yagura's reaction to Naruto's treatment and Sarutobi's reasons for keeping the boy unaware of his jinchuriki status had been a bit of a surprise. In the few times he had met with the young Kage, Sarutobi had rarely ever seen the man get so worked up. The Mizukage had been offended by how Sarutobi was handling Naruto's situation and how he had chosen to tell the villagers but keep the jinchuriki himself unaware.

But Sarutobi had his reasons! The boy deserved a chance to grow up being normal rather than thinking all the villagers' mistreatment was justified just because he was a jinchuriki. What if Naruto was frightened by the prospect? If the boy knew of such a burden who knows how it would've affected him. He had made sure the children of the villager's were unaware so Naruto could be given a chance to gain friends. He had done what he could and tried to do his best for Naruto!

"…No matter how many times I tell myself that, I still can't quite believe it myself." Sarutobi said softly.

He had tried to make the best out of Naruto's bad situation and failed. The boy had shouldered the village's greatest burden and became a jinchuriki. He became the village pariah and didn't even know why…

If… if his suspicions were correct and Yagura really was behind those chunins' deaths and had kidnapped Naruto, what could he do? Would he release that information and risk starting a war between Konoha and Kirigakure? Or would he keep silent, accept the fact that Naruto was gone, and leave things be for the sake of the village…?

Sarutobi rubbed his temples in frustration. As if the Uchiha massacre hadn't been bad enough and now something like this happens? He felt like screaming.

The Hokage made a note to send a messenger hawk to Kirigakure in the morning. Even if some were willing to ignore and embrace Naruto's disappearance, he wouldn't just let things slide so easily.

X.X.X.X.X

Naruto smiled giddily to himself as he snuggled deeper into the warmth that surrounded him. He just felt so comfortable! The covers were soft, the mattress was cushiony and firm and the sheets were clean. Even after waking up the boy had decided to abuse this new pleasure and wrapped himself up within his bed sheets. He had never known that beds could feel this good before. He almost felt like crying when he compared the bed he was resting in now to the stiff, uncomfortable, musty one that had been in his old apartment.

The jinchuriki grinned happily to himself. He had almost thought that all of this had been a dream. He couldn't express his joy in words when he found out that he had indeed been given a brand new, comfortable home and a new friend when he woke up.

The boy wouldn't have minded staying in bed all day were it not for his stomach demanding some morning nutrition. Naruto rubbed his arms against the warm sheets a few times before kicking the covers off his body. The boy jumped to the floor and walked over to Gaara's bed.

"Hey, Gaara! Wake up! Let's go get some breakfast."

It was a new day! A new experience! Naruto wanted nothing more than to share it with his newest friend!

"Zzzzzzz…"

Gaara didn't respond. The younger boy had a content smile on his face as his head sank into his pillow. Naruto's grinned widened as he enthusiastically shook the boy.

"C'mon, Gaara! It's morning! Time to wake up!"

"Mmph… grnsml… wanlf…" The Ichibi container mumbled unintelligibly as his body turned over.

Naruto wasn't one to be deterred. He immediately crawled onto Gaara's bed and started jumping up and down on the mattress, causing the boy's body to bounce and shake.

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" Naruto laughed as he jumped on the mattress.

"Gugh… huh…? Ah!" Gaara roused a bit before finally shooting up from his sleeping position. When he was sure he wasn't in the middle of some earthquake, he stared at the boy in front of him with surprise and a small amount of fear after Naruto had stopped jumping. "N-Naruto…? W-What are you doing…?"

"I'm waking you up!" Naruto replied cheerfully as he climbed off the bed. "I was wondering if you wanted to go have breakfast with me."

Gaara blinked, still trying to get over the shock of being woken up in such a manner. After regaining his train of thought and realizing that his _friend _was asking him to have breakfast with him, Gaara allowed a shy smile to rise onto his face.

"Okay…" Gaara nodded.

"Great!" Naruto smiled, grabbing the boy's hand and almost physically dragging the smaller boy from the bed. Gaara was able to grab his teddy just before Naruto pulled him out of the bed and out the door and downstairs towards the kitchen.

This was all so new to the Ichibi container. He had little to no contact from anyone outside his family and had never met anyone as excitable as Naruto Uzumaki. The boy seemed completely at ease around him and wasn't afraid to get near him or touch him like others were. It had been the same with Yagura when he had comforted the boy and brought him to Kirigakure. Though, thanks to Yagura properly modifying his seal, Gaara's sand no longer followed him around and was being kept in a gourd that Yagura had put in his room. Gaara was a complete stranger to affection, so he was still trying to learn how he should respond to it.

He wasn't about to give it up though. He was ready to kill if it meant he could keep experiencing it.

"I can't believe how nice everything looks." Naruto said as they entered the kitchen. "My old house never had anything like this."

"Yeah." Gaara agreed absentmindedly, feeling like he should respond to that. He had to admit, he certainly preferred this new house as opposed to the one in Suna. It had a much more welcome atmosphere to it.

"Food, food, food…" Naruto muttered to himself and he searched for the pantry door. As he trekked through the kitchen, a familiar smell filtered into his nostrils.

Naruto's eyes widened when he recognized the scent.

Turning towards the table, Naruto felt his mouth water when he saw the big bowl of ramen sitting on the dining table. Almost forgetting that he was dragging Gaara behind him, Naruto quickly trudged over to the table and took a seat. Gaara took the one next to him, staring at the steaming bowl of noodles curiously. Why was it sitting uneaten like this? No one else was around.

Naruto seemed to ignore everything else around him as he took a whiff of the ramen and saw stars. It smelled delicious! Since so many shops turned him away, Naruto had practically lived off the ramen he'd gotten from convenient stores and more recently Ichiraku's. Thusly, he had developed a taste and respect for ramen that boarded on obsession. Almost immediately the young boy could see that this shoyu ramen was formidable, and it was rare to see it since Naruto more familiar with miso and pork ramen. Pillowy, soft, curly yellow egg noodles were submerged in a supreme soup complimented by dried sardines, pork knuckle, and chicken bones. To top it off, a hardboiled egg and a few spices he picked out had been added to the dish, completing a beautiful picture.

"Naruto, did you hear that?" Gaara asked when he heard something similar to a flushing toilet.

Naruto, oblivious to the world around him, took the chopsticks that sat next to the bowl, uttered a quick thanks, and brought some noodles to his lips.

His would be totally accurate to say his tastebuds had an orgasm right then and there.

Before Naruto could revel and appreciate such high quality ramen, a low voice broke his thoughts.

"Why the hell are you eating my food?"

Naruto stiffened when he noticed the shadow that had fallen over him and how Gaara was staring behind him with a fearful expression. Naruto turned around in his seat and looked up.

And up.

Han crossed his arms as he scowled down at the blond haired twerp that was enjoying his meal. He shot a quick glare at the red head who cowered back before redirecting his gaze back to the silent blond.

"Well?" The Gobi container asked, snarling as he leaned over the Kyuubi container.

Naruto shook in place as the tall jinchuriki tower above him. The boy was really intimidating, and that sneer made him look really scary. Still, Naruto was hungry, and after tasting that ramen, Naruto wasn't scared enough to not ask where he had gotten it.

"S-Sorry. It was just sitting there so…" Naruto trailed off. "Um, where did you get it?"

If they really had that kind of ramen in pantry, he was ready to start worshiping Yagura as a god if he was doing this much for them and providing them with such good ramen.

"I didn't get it from anywhere. I made it." Han said, rolling his eyes.

Naruto's eyes widened and his mouth dropped in shock.

Okay, he'd start worshipping the tall, scary teenager instead.

"REALLY?" Naruto exclaimed, standing up in his chair so he could face the older container. Even then, he barely reached the Gobi container's chest.

"Yeah…" Han said slowly, arching an eyebrow at the unadulterated awe and hero-worship in the boy's eyes. "…So I'm guessing you really like ramen, huh?"

"DO I?" Naruto grinned, forgetting how intimidating the teen was. "Ramen is the best! It's the greatest food ever made! And you make it taste so GOOD!"

Despite himself, Han allowed an arrogant smirk rise to his face. He _knew _how good a cook he was, and ramen was just one of his many specialties. A lesser known fact about the Gobi container was that despite all appearances, cooking was actually a hobby. Having nothing to eat but crap for most of his early childhood, Han took it upon himself to learn how to make good food for himself since no one else would ever be willing to do so. Next to killing, training and forging his armor, cooking had been something he practiced in his spare time over the years.

In short, Han could cook and he was damn good at it. Seeing this annoying brat appreciate the fact helped inflate his ego.

It didn't mean that the praise made him any friendlier though.

"Glad you like it. Now get out of my chair." Han said bluntly as he shoved the boy to the ground.

The moment gone, Han's face settled back into a frown as Naruto yelped and fell to the floor. Gaara quickly rushed to the boy's side and helped him up as Han took a seat and ate his meal.

"Naruto, are you okay?" Gaara asked worriedly.

"It's fine." Naruto waved him off. He could something like that off easy. Compared to how the villager's treated him, a light shove was nothing. Not one to be discouraged and clouded with thoughts of amazing ramen and that there was a chef who could rival Ichiraku's sitting next to him, Naruto approached Han with a bright smile. "So do you always eat ramen for breakfast?"

"No." Han answered.

"Is it your favorite food?"

"No."

"How'd you cook the noodles? They had really good texture!"

"…"

"The soup was good too. Did you make that yourself too?"

"…"

"Seriously, it was some of the best ramen I've ever had! Could you teach me how to make it sometime?"

Han growled under his breath. Clearly his silent treatment wasn't getting through to the kid. Turning towards the boy he gave him an unfriendly glare.

"What do you want from me, brat?" Han scowled.

"Some ramen!" Naruto declared without shame.

"And you want me to make it for you?" Han smiled. Naruto completely missed his mocking tone.

"Yeah!" Naruto nodded vigorously.

"Forget it." Han promptly refused, turning back towards his meal.

"What? C'mon, please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No…"

"Please, please?"

"NO."

"Please, please, please, please, please, please, please-"

Han's chopsticks snapped in half when the blond brat continued to beg him. Gaara noticed the look of annoyance on his face and tried to make Naruto be quiet, but the boy ignored him and kept on begging. Just as Han turned to shut up the source of his ire, another person voiced his plea.

"Please make ramen for us, Han-kun…?"

Han's eyes bulged and he almost fell out of his chair when Roshi whispered the words into his ear. Naruto and Gaara jumped in surprise when they noticed the red haired man standing next to Han. The Gobi container stared at Roshi with open shock as the man just smiled at the three of them.

"Roshi-san!" Naruto grinned at the man.

"Since when were you here?" Han sputtered.

"Since just now." Roshi smiled as he plucked the broken chopsticks from Han's fingers and used them to sample the ramen for himself. He smirked and ruffled Han's hair. "My compliments to the chef."

"Get off!" Han demanded, pushing his hand off his head.

"Yo! What's that I smell~?"

"_Dammit. Not him too." _Han thought as he felt a migraine coming on.

"Bee-san!" Naruto grinned when he saw the Hachibi container enter the kitchen. The older boy grinned when Naruto waved at him.

"Yo, Naruto! And Gaara too!" Bee grinned as he approached the duo. He glanced at the bowl in front of Han and smiled at the Gobi container who glared back. "You cookin' for us today, dude?"

"No." Han deadpanned. "I was-"

"Bee?"

The five containers turned to see Yugito and Fu standing near the entrance to the kitchen. Yugito looked surprised at the amount of people present while Fu yawned and seemed to be nodding off every so often. Han groaned when Utakata joined them, his face one of surprise when he too noticed the amount of people in the room. It had been such a good morning too. Han had woken up early, spent some time working on his armor near the hot springs out back, and had cooked up some ramen to fill him up for the morning. Now, annoyance and annoyance was filling up the room and ruining his otherwise perfect morning.

"Well, looks like everyone is here." Roshi smiled, breaking the silence. "And just in time too! Han-kun was just about to make us breakfast."

"What? Old man, don't think for a second that I-"

"Han-san is a really good cook!" Naruto broke in, happy that Han was going to make them breakfast. "His ramen is the best!"

"Ramen for breakfast?" Yugito asked, scrunching her nose in slight disgust. "Is that proper?"

"I cook whatever I'm feeling in the mood for, and I wanted ramen." Han broke in, feeling the need to defend his choice of meal. "If you don't like it cook something else."

"Now, now, Yugito-chan. Don't be picky." Roshi smiled. "A little variety in one's morning routine makes life interesting."

"I'm not opposed to it." Utakata shrugged, not really caring what was served.

"Food." Fu ordered like it was a demand.

"Well, is it really okay, Han-san?" Yugito asked, turning towards the one who she assumed would do the cooking.

Han hesitated when all seven pairs of eyes turned towards him. He had no problems turning down just Naruto and Gaara. He could reject Roshi easily. There was no way he'd cook for the annoying Hachibi container willingly. But with every single one of his roommates looking at him like this…

"…Fine." Han sighed. In the face of all this expectation, he just couldn't bring himself to give a shit anymore. "Don't expect anything too extravagant though."

"Yay!" Naruto cheered, quickly taking a seat. "Ramen!"

"Are you really okay with cooking for all of us, Han-san?" Yugito asked uncertainly.

"It's not like anything I say will matter otherwise." Han said sourly, glaring at Roshi when the man smirked at him. "Just don't get used to it. This won't be a regular thing."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Yugito asked, a little guilty that he was the only one cooking. "I can make a few side dishes. If you need help with anything…"

"Just get some more spices from the panty." Han sighed, taking out a carrier scroll and summoning up some already made noodles and ingredients, much to everyone's surprise. "What I've got on me won't be enough to flavor everything."

"Okay! I'll make some gyoza to go with it too!" Yugito smiled as she went to rummage through the pantry.

"I'll cook some rice." Roshi offered as he took out a pot from one of the cupboards.

Han resisted the urge to punch that annoying smile off Yonbi container's face.

X.X.X.X.X

Yagura glanced around the compound a few times as he entered the complex where the rest of the jinchuriki were staying. It was encouraging to see none of the houses had been broken or receive any reports of disruptive behavior last night. That was a good sign, wasn't it? As the Mizukage entered the main house, a pleasant smell wafted through the air around him. Could it be breakfast? Curious about what the smell was and the various voices coming from the kitchen, Yagura headed that way.

The sight that greeted him was surprising.

All of the jinchuriki were gathered around the large dining table that could easily fit the eight living containers plus a few guests. Yagura was surprised to see the table mostly full and that all of the jinchuriki were having breakfast together. He was a little amused to see the breakfast of choice, but everyone on the table seemed to enjoy it. The kitchen was also filled with the voices of the jinchuriki as they conversed amongst themselves. Roshi and Bee were talking about something of interest as Gaara and Naruto listened in rapt attention. The amount of empty bowls stacked next to Naruto was also a little shocking. Yugito was trying to keep Fu from eating too fast. The smaller girl's cheeks were swelled with the contents of her breakfast as she tried to stuff more and more food into her mouth. It made the Nanabi container look like a chipmunk if Yagura had to make a comparison. Utakata kept one chair between himself and Naruto who sat on his right. The boy was eating so messily he had gotten some contents of his breakfast on the table around him, and Utakata didn't want to stain his robes. Han just quickly sat at the end of the table while trying his best to ignore the people around him as he ate the meal he cooked.

"Ah… Fu-chan, you could slow down a bit, you know…" Yugito cautioned as more ramen disappeared inside the girl's mouth. The Nibi container jumped when the girl's chopstick's shot out and dived into her own bowl of ramen and took it for herself.

"We have quite a few eaters here, don't we?" Utakata commented with some amusement as Fu shoved away her empty bowl and pulled Yugito's closer. The Rokubi container had already finished his meal as one bowl of ramen was more than enough for him.

"I-I just don't want her to choke, is all…" Yugito said as she watched Fu eat. She wasn't as messy as Naruto, but everything in front of her just seemed to… disappear. The way Fu ate was rather cute in Yugito's opinion.

"More." Fu demanded as she held out her empty bowl and swallowed her food with one gulp.

"There is no more." Han sighed exasperatedly. "You and that blonde brat ate everything already.

Seriously, he didn't think he'd waste everything he had on these people! Now he knew why their pantry and refrigerator was stuffed with so much food. They were supplied with about a month of food, but at the rate some of these people ate it wouldn't even last a week! Those noodles took time to make, as did the soup. If they were looking forward to more, Han was going disappoint a lot of people at this table.

Not that he ever planned on cooking for anyone other than himself again, mind you.

"You can have mine if you want…" Gaara said quietly as he pushed his half eaten bowl towards Fu. He jumped when it disappeared and appeared in front of Fu. She had almost taken his hand!

"Hey, Fu-chan, what do you say to Gaara-kun?" Yugito asked.

Fu paused in her meal and raised her head a bit. She gave Yugito a confused look.

"Why would I say anything to him?" Fu asked before continuing with her meal.

Yugito sighed. Fu was definitely a stranger to a lot of things she had previously considered common knowledge to most. She definitely lacked table manners, that's for sure. At least she wasn't as messy as Naruto.

"Ah, that was the best!" Naruto grinned as he finished off his last bowl. "I'm stuffed!"

"Where does it go?" Gaara asked his friend in wonder at he stared at the ten bowls stacked next to Naruto.

"We've got a man here who really loves his _ramen_." Bee chuckled. "He can put away ten bowls like it was _common_!

"Hehe, ramen is the best breakfast ever!" Naruto grinned as he wiped his mouth on his sleeve.

"I wouldn't go so far to say that…" Utakata said lightly as he pushed his empty bowl away. He smiled towards Han. "It was a good meal though."

"It'll be the last one you get from me." Han declared with finality.

"I'm still hungry." Fu pouted as she set aside her seventh bowl. While she hadn't eaten as much ramen as Naruto did, she had certainly eaten more food. Empty bowls of gyoza and rice also surrounded the minty haired girl.

"Here you go." Roshi smiled as he handed the girl some more rice. Fu took it without a thank you. Roshi didn't mind though. "Well, isn't this a nice way to spend the morning? We should all eat together like this more often. Don't you agree, Yagura-san?"

Everyone in the room turned towards the new guest who stood near the entrance to the kitchen. Yagura nodded towards them all in greeting as he approached the table.

"I'm happy to see all of you getting along so well." Yagura said. "I had been worried that it would take more time for you all to get used to each other."

"It's better to get along rather than fight if we're going to be here for a while." Roshi said conversationally. He turned towards the other jinchuriki with a friendly smile. "Isn't that right, guys?"

A chorus of agreements or annoyed mumbles served as a reply.

"We would have saved you some food if we had known you were coming, Mizukage-sama." Yugito said, trying her best to sound respectful.

"Han made us ramen!" Naruto proclaimed with a smile.

"Under protest…" Han grumbled.

"Hm… is that so?" Yagura murmured, surprised that the Gobi container had done so. He had probably been forced into somehow if that was the case. "And don't worry, Yugito-san. I've already had something to eat so you don't need to worry about that."

"Is there a reason you've come to see us so early in the morning, Mizukage-sama?" Utakata asked.

"Yes." Yagura nodded in affirmation to Utakata's question. "I'd like to begin your training as soon as possible. However, before we get started on that, there are a few people I'd like you all to meet since they will also be a part of your training. Meet me outside in a half hour so that we may go and see them."

Without saying anymore, the Mizukage turned on his heel and exited the house. The group of jinchuriki sat in silence before Naruto decided to speak up.

"So does this mean we're going to learn how to be ninja?" Naruto asked, turning to Roshi for an answer.

"I don't know about that. We're all here so we can learn to control our demons." Roshi smiled. "But I'm sure Yagura-san will teach you a thing or two about being a ninja if you ask him."

"You think?" Naruto asked hopefully.

"We should probably clean up first before we get going though." Utakata said.

"Yeah, I'll leave you guys to it then." Han said as he got up from the table.

"Hey! You trying to skip out on us?" Bee accused.

"No. _I _was the one who cooked the meal so _you _are going to clean up the mess." Han bit back as he glowered at the Hachibi container. He left the room before the argument could continue. Roshi grabbed Bee's shoulder when the teen started after him.

"Now, now, Bee-kun. Han-kun was kind enough to make us breakfast. Cleaning up isn't too much to ask for as a thank you, is it?"

"That doesn't mean he has to be such a prick about it." Bee frowned.

Roshi chuckled to himself as the other containers barring Han started to clean up. Fu and Naruto pouted to themselves and the only reason Fu hadn't followed Han was because Yugito had held onto her arm and forced her to help out. Gaara looked lost before Utakata ordered him to start collecting the bowls. It was a rocky start for them, and probably the only time they'd manage to share a breakfast together, but it meant that the jinchuriki were capable of living with one another.

The question was how long could they stand it?

X.X.X.X.X

Naruto smiled to himself as he took in his surroundings. Yagura had taken them to a large clearing just behind the Mizukage's tower. A clear lake bordered by trees stretched out in front of them. A morning mist settled over the lake and the grass was wet with dew. A couple training posts could be spotted here and there, but other than that the place was vacant.

He liked this place. Kirigakure was getting better and better by the minute.

Some people were already there to greet the assembled jinchuriki. Some of the other container recognized Ao immediately, but there was another woman standing next him who nobody had seen before. There were a few other strangers standing around that none of the jinchuriki recognized. Well, at least Utakata recognized them. The wielder of the Kubikiribocho stood off to the side leaning against a tree while the Nuibari wielder was locked in combat with a teen who was holding the Kiba Boltswords, weapons that Utakata immediately recognized. The Rokubi visibly flinched when he noticed the red haired woman talking with a long blue haired woman while another boy was seen coming out of the forest while dragging something large behind him. The boy had short blue hair and was wearing some kind of headphone attachments that Utakata assumed kept his glasses in place. However, this boy and the teenager who was fighting the Nuibari Swordsman did not have armbands of the Seven Swordsmen, which meant that they were not part of Kiri's elite group. If that was true, why was a non-member holding Kiba?

A sudden realization dawned on Utakata just then. If Mizukage wanted to introduce them to the Seven Swordsmen then did that mean they were the ones going to take part in their training?

Naruto, never the stranger, waved cheerfully to the two adults.

"Hi!" The boy grinned as he ran up to the boy who was struggling with dragging that big bandaged thing behind him. "Need help with that?"

Chojuro nearly jumped out of his skin when he was suddenly addressed by an unfamiliar voice. The Mist genin turned around to see a younger blond haired kid walking up to him with a happy smile on his face.

"W-Who are you?" Chojuro asked confusedly.

"I'm Naruto! I'm from Konoha, my favorite color is orange, I like ramen, and I want to be a ninja!"

"_Konoha?" _Chojuro thought to himself. He glanced behind Naruto to see seven more unfamiliar faces. Some looked close to his own age. The boy felt his confusion increase. _"So these are the people Mizukage-sama said he would help train? I expected someone older than this…"_

"What's your name? Are you a ninja?"

Chojuro glanced down to see where Naruto was pointing. The genin had his headband made into something he could wear around his waist like a belt. The four lines carved into the protector proved his affiliation to the Kirigakure.

"Ah, my name is Chojuro, and yes, I'm a genin who proudly serves my country and Mizukage." Chojuro answered respectfully.

"That's so cool!" Naruto gushed, surprising Chojuro with his excitement.

"…It's really not a big deal." The meeker boy replied uncomfortably.

"Oh, Chojuro, you made it!" Mei smiled, walking over to her apprentice. "I got worried when I noticed you weren't following me anymore."

"Um, you kind of just left me behind, Mei-sensei…" Chojuro muttered quietly. He wasn't strong enough to carry Hiramekarei like it was nothing yet. It took him a while to drag it all the way to the meeting place without help.

"Thank you for carrying it all the way here for me." Mei smiled as she grabbed one of the two hilts and casually lifted it onto her back. She rubbed her student's hair affectionately.

"I-It was nothing…" Chojuro smiled, ducking his head to hide his blush.

"Ahem!"

Everyone turned towards Ao when he cleared his throat. Kushimaru and Raiga stopped sparring immediately and Ameyuri took her two swords back from her student after they had stopped. Ao glared at their audience while the green haired woman gestured to Yagura.

"Mizukage-sama wishes to speak." Mai announced.

"Thank you all for meeting me here today." Yagura nodded to his ninja in thanks before he turned towards his fellow jinchuriki. He gestured to Ao and Mai. "As mentioned before, there are several people who I want to introduce you to today. These two are my advisors as well as two of Kirigakure's elite ninja. It would be preferable if you all got to know them since if there is ever a time when you need something from me and I am unavailable, you would go to these two instead."

"Ao Saizen." The blue haired man said, nodding towards the jinchuriki.

"Mai Gekidoku." The woman smiled, bowing as she introduced herself. "It's a pleasure to meet you all."

"Thank you for having us." Roshi smiled back.

"I hope we won't be too much trouble." Yugito added, giving the duo a quick bow.

"Oh, they're so polite." Mai grinned. She gave Yagura a coy look. "The way you described them earlier made them sound so unfriendly."

"Some of us are just a little shy." Roshi quipped. "Don't let it bother you too much."

"So how exactly are these two supposed to help us?" Bee asked curiously. "It's not like they know about our… needs, right?"

"Believe it or not, these two are actually quite familiar with bijuu and jinchuriki." Yagura answered, surprising everyone when he casually brought up the subject. "They helped me research and study my own demon when I was younger and struggling to control it. Any advice they give should be taken to heart. And keep in mind that anyone I introduce you to today knows about the bijuu and your status as jinchuriki, so don't be afraid to talk about it."

"But… won't you be training us too, Yagura-san?" Yugito asked.

"Yugito, while I will try to devote some of my time to train you all I am still the Mizukage and my duties to the village must come first." Yagura said stoically. "Unfortunately, that means I won't be around to train any of you as often as you may like. That is why I have assigned both Ao and Mai to be your overseers during your training. They will train you all to the best of their abilities and don't be afraid to ask them for anything you need. In return, I expect all of you to show them the utmost respect and listen to what they say, understood?"

Ao and Mai took note of the jinchuriki who nodded and those who simply rolled their eyes and scoffed. It was a good way to see which of the container would be more difficult to deal with.

"Though, just the two of them aren't enough to teach the eight of you." Yagura continued. "That is why I'm assigning each of you a personal teacher who will not only train with you, but who will take the time to teach you about Kirigakure and certain things you should know."

"Wait, you mean you're giving us… a sensei?" Utakata muttered distastefully, almost choking on the word. His eyes widened when he turned towards the swordsmen. "Wait, you not going to…?"

"Your assumption is correct, Utakata." Yagura nodded. He gestured towards the four assembled swordsmen and their students standing by. "I have assigned one of the Seven Swordsmen to each one of you as your sensei. They will help teach you about what you need to know during your stay in Kirigakure and provide you with training. You need only to ask. Not only that, but should any of you become unstable, I believe any one of them to be more than capable of handling such a situation."

"Leashing us already?" Han sneered.

"A precaution. I know how dangerous bijuu are and making sure your demons are controlled is the whole reason I brought you here." Yagura replied levelly. "I only wish to help. Anything I do is for your own safety, whether you believe it or not."

Han scowled but said nothing more. Yagura nodded before turning towards Ao and Mai.

"I trust that you two can take it from here?"

"You can count on us." Mai smiled. "You don't have to worry about being late for your date with that stack of documents."

"Don't remind me." Yagura sighed, thinking of all the paperwork he still needed to catch up on.

"Yo! Are you leaving when you're supposed to be teaching?" Bee demanded.

"I only wanted to introduce you to your teachers and let you know who you'll be working with. Nothing more. I'm giving all of you an opportunity to get adjusted before I begin your actual training." Yagura replied tonelessly. "You are all free to do as you will after Mai and Ao have dismissed you. Until then, do as they say and don't cause any trouble."

Without saying any more, Yagura disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Man, that ain't cool." Bee pouted. "Leaving us like that…"

"Don't hold it against him. Our Mizukage will often busy himself trying to take care of the village." Mai smiled.

"He's doing a great job of it so far if some of those rumors are to be believed." Han smirked. "I actually kind of like the nickname your Mizukage earned this place."

"What nickname?" Naruto asked curiously.

"That's not important." Ao broke in swiftly, giving the Gobi container a hard look. "During your stay in Kirigakure you _will _show the Mizukage proper respect, and anything he has ever done has been for the sake of the village. Keep in mind that most of those rumors have been grossly exaggerated."

"So the Purges were all an accident then?" Han asked mockingly. "Is that what you're saying?"

"Han-kun…" Roshi whispered. "Please try not to agitate the people who are helping us."

"I don't need their help, and I don't follow anyone's orders if I don't want to." Han bit back as he turned away from the group and headed out of the forest.

"Where do you think you're going?" Ao demanded.

"What? I came here, I was introduced to you and the swordsmen, and that's all that's needed, right? If there's nothing else then I'm out of here." Han scowled.

"We haven't said you could leave yet." Mai said, glaring at the Gobi container.

"And I should care, why…?" Han chuckled. He pointed to the swordsmen who were also giving him distasteful looks. "I'm not interested in having a teacher telling me what to do. Yagura gave me a quiet place to work uninterrupted as was our agreement, so I'll follow his orders to a certain extent, but I'm not a Kirigakure ninja so I have no obligation to listen to you guys if I don't want to. I've got more important things to do anyway."

"We will be reporting this to the Mizukage." Mai warned him.

The woman chuckled darkly with slight amusement as Han flipped her the bird before disappearing into the forest. As she started after him Ao grabbed her shoulder.

"We'll deal with it if the problem persists." Ao muttered, still glaring into the forest. "For now, we have seven people who are still here."

"True…" Mai agreed quietly as she stepped back into place. She clapped her hands together cheerfully to shake off her anger. "Well, I suppose we'll ignore Han-kun for now."

"Is that really okay?" Yugito asked uncertainly, appalled by Han's behavior and abrupt departure.

"It's fine. We have more important business to attend to anyway." Ao insisted.

"What are the Purges?" Fu suddenly asked, tilting her head curiously.

"I said that's not important." Ao stressed as he gestured to the swordsmen. He started talking again before any more questions could be asked. "Now, for those of you who don't know, the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist is a group of seven ninja who are Kirigakure's strongest warriors. Not only are the ninja themselves famous, but the swords they wield are known throughout the land as some of the greatest blades ever forged. You should consider yourselves privileged to be given the opportunity to be taught by any one of them."

"Swordsmen… sweet." Bee grinned, excited since he had been training with swords himself.

"I believe names should be enough for now since I'm sure you'll all get a chance to know them on a more personal level, given enough time." Mai smiled. She gestured to Mei. "Wielder of the Twinsword Hiramekarei, Mei Terumi."

"It's a pleasure to meet you all." Mei smiled to the jinchuriki. She gestured towards Chojuro. "This is my student, Chojuro. He shows a lot of promise and someday I'll pass the Hiramekarei onto him. Say hello to the nice people, Chojuro."

"H-Hi…" The boy waved uneasily.

"Ameyuri Ringo, wielder of the Boltswords, Kiba." Mai continued, gesturing to the small woman with long blue hair.

"I look forward to working with you all." The woman said politely as she gave the group a bow. She gestured to the teen standing next to her. "This is Raiga Kurosuki, my own apprentice and possible successor to the Kiba swords."

"Possible?" Raiga sputtered incredulously.

"Possible." Ameyuri repeated with a small smile.

"Kushimaru Kuriarare, wielder of the Longsword, Nuibari." Mai said, gesturing to the tall, skinny man with the ANBU mask.

"Charmed, I'm sure." The man said. "I've never taken on a student before, so I hope we'll get along."

The guy was probably the only one taller than Han.

"Zabuza Momochi, wielder of the Seversword, Kubikiribocho." Mai went on, pointing to the man with bandages around his face who was leaning against a tree.

"Tch… I can't believe I'm expected to take on a brat for real." Zabuza muttered to himself. "As if Gozu and Meizu weren't annoying enough already…"

"And while there are seven swordmen… I only count four." Mai trailed off. "Which brings us to the question… where are the other three members?"

As if on cue, another man with an eye patch over one eye emerged from the forest. Everyone immediately recognized the armband with the emblem of the Swordsmen tied to his arm.

"Jinpachi Munashi, wielder of the Blastsword, Shibaki." Mai announced with a smile as the man gave a small bow.

"I apologize for my tardiness, Mai-san." Jinpachi said. "I was forcibly detained."

"Oh? Care to tell us why?" Ao asked skeptically. "And where are Jinin and Kisame?"

"Kisame's whereabouts are unknown. He's probably off on some personal errand or another, like usual." Jinpachi replied, earning a frustrated groan from Ao. "As for Jinin, he was helping me with the problem that is the reason for my late arrival."

"And the problem is?" Ao demanded impatiently.

"It's Tuesday, Ao-san." Jinpachi stated simply.

This brief explanation confused the jinchuriki. What did knowing the day have to do with anything? To their surprise, Ao, Mai and the other swordsmen nodded as if those three words were enough to explain everything.

"Ah, dammit…" Ao cursed as he rubbed his temples. "I guess that's why you don't have the Shibaki on you right now…"

"I am ashamed to admit that he took it from me… again…" Jinpachi admitted with a hint of embarrassment in his tone.

"Son of a… those two troublemakers…" Ao cussed under his breath. "Let's go hurry and take care of it."

"At once, Ao-san."

Both he and Jinpachi disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Um, are we missing something here?" Roshi asked with a smile even though it was clear the man was puzzled. "What does the fact it's Tuesday have to do with anything?"

"Ah, I suppose that's the first thing they should know about Kirigakure, huh?" Kushimaru said conversationally.

"You have to give them props though for always managing to steal them though." Ameyuri pointed out with a smile.

"I thought it was pretty funny the way they got Kubikiribocho from Zabuza two weeks ago." Mei laughed.

"Hey! I told you that was a fluke!" Zabuza protested.

"I don't get it… what are they arguing about?" Naruto wondered as the four swordsmen began to argue.

"Ah, well, there are two people who constantly cause the swordsmen trouble by stealing their swords on different days of the week." Chojuro explained. "It's been a recurring thing for a couple years now."

"Two people who steal the swords? I've never heard of this." Utakata said.

"That's because is would be embarrassing for the most powerful ninja in Kirigakure if rumor got around that their swords were so easily stolen." Chojuro explained with a small smile.

"Are these people really that strong?" Yugito asked in awe.

"Um… I wouldn't say that they're really just strong. They're really smart and cunning, more like." Chojuro said.

"They're pranksters." Mai smiled, walking over to the group.

"Pranksters…?" Gaara asked.

"Yes. Pranksters with dreams of becoming two of the Seven Swordsmen in the near future." Mai smiled.

"And these guys are smart enough to successfully steal the famous swords from the Seven Swordsmen?" Utakata asked incredulously. "You have got to be kidding me."

Mai laughed to herself as an idea suddenly popped into her head.

"Well, why don't we go see their handiwork for ourselves?" Mai suggested loudly, getting the bickering swordsmen's attention. "Be sure to keep a tight grip on your weapons."

Each of the swordsmen clenched the hilt of their swords, almost making their knuckles go white with how tightly they squeezed.

X.X.X.X.X

As they got closer to their destination, several blasting noises could be heard nearby. It was like explosions were setting off somewhere.

"Are we close to a minefield or something?" Bee asked.

"Not exactly." Mai smiled as she led the group of jinchuriki and Mist swordsmen to the Seven Swordsmen's personal training grounds. "Since it's Tuesday, that means it was the Shibaki's turn to get stolen."

"There's a reason it's called the Blastsword." Ameyuri explained as they walked along. "If you think about that, it's not surprising to hear so many explosions go off at once."

"So a sword is causing all of this?" Bee asked in wonder. "Do the swords have special abilities or something that let's them do stuff like that?"

"They do." Mai smiled. "Just think of their names as clues as to what they can do. Though it'll be easier to understand if you all see it firsthand."

"Nice rapping." Bee complimented, earning a slightly confused look from Mai.

Eventually they came out into a large clearing, and the sight that met them surprised them all.

"Wow…" Naruto gaped as he saw what was occurring before his eyes.

Ao, Jinpachi, and another swordsman were fighting against two brothers. The training ground had nearly collapsed due to collateral damage. The jinchuriki were rather surprised by the damage to the surrounding area, though Mai and swordsmen didn't seem too perturbed by it.

"Dammit boy, give back that sword!" Jinin shouted as he rushed towards the lean, white haired teen wielding the Shibaki.

Mangetsu Hozuki smirked as he saw Jinin raise the axe part of the Kabutowari up. He immediately struck the ground in front of him with the Blastsword, letting loose an explosion that sent Jinin flying backwards.

"Suiton: Mizurappa!"

Ao launched a torrent of water towards Mangetsu as he saw Jinin get repelled. The white haired man teen just smirked as he swung the sword forward right into the torrent, causing the water to explode like a wave around him. Mangetsu smirked as the water showed him a bit as it passed over his head.

It wasn't like water attacks could hurt him, but it looked cool when the water exploded like that.

"Nii-san! Let me have a turn with the sword already!"

Mangetsu frowned and pushed away his kid brother when the boy made a reach for it.

"No way. If I give it to you you'll just lose it again." Mangetsu argued as he bopped him on the head. "Let the master have fun for a while."

"But you always hog the swords! I almost never get to use them!" Suigetsu whined.

"That's because you always drop them! You've got butterfingers!"

"I do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Impact!"

"Shit!"

Mangetsu jumped out of the way when he heard Jinin's shout and saw his hammer coming down on them. Suigetsu wasn't so fast.

The earth exploded with a loud crash when the Kabutowari came down on Suigetsu's head.

"Oh my gosh! He killed him!" Yugito gasped.

"He's fine." Kushimaru sighed. "It's their damn bloodline that makes these guys so annoying…"

Everyone stared down at Jinin when Kushimaru pointed to where he was standing. The water beneath the man's feet was… moving?"

Naruto, Gaara, Yugito, and Fu jumped when a head suddenly popped out from the puddle.

"You ass! Why didn't you warn me?" Suigetsu shouted at his brother as his head reconstituted.

"Even if I had you'd have been too damn slow to dodge it anyway!" Mangetsu shouted back. "Geez, you're fucking useless!"

"Am not!"

"Are so!"

"I am not!"

"Are so!"

"This is rather entertaining." Roshi chuckled as he watched the show.

"Isn't it?" Mai giggled to herself as she watched the brothers shout at each other.

"Who are those two guys?" Naruto asked curiously.

"The Hozuki brothers, Mangetsu and Suigetsu." Mai said, pointing to each of them as she gave their names. "They're the only remaining members of the Hozuki Clan, whose Kekkai Genkai allowed them to turn their bodies into liquid. As you can see, because of this technique it makes them rather difficult to hit… or catch, for that matter."

"Are they even ninja?" Utakata asked.

"Though they aren't official Kirigakure ninja, I have them do odd jobs here and there as punishment for stealing the swords every once in a while." Mai answered.

"Even if you describe him as a prankster, Mangetsu wields that sword expertly." Roshi noted as he continued to watch the fight.

"He's had lots of practice." Mai smiled. "Mangetsu is very cunning. A prodigy too. Not only can he wield Shibaki, but he has also mastered the Kubikiribocho and Hiramekarei as well."

"Suigetsu isn't anywhere near his older brother's skill level though." Zabuza added. "The only sword he can use with some form of skill is my own, but even then he's not that good at it."

"But you've trained the boy before, haven't you Zabuza-san." Mai stated rather than asked.

"Tch…" Zabuza glared at the woman but didn't deny it.

"You guys… seem rather casual about all of this." Yugito said. "Shouldn't you be more alarmed that someone is using your swords?"

"It's good practice to fight them." Kushimaru shrugged. "Plus, if one of us dies, while have a replacement. Mangetsu is like a substitute member. It's a win-win thing."

Yugito refrained from pointing out how strange and morbid that reason was.

"It isn't as bad as you think, Yugito-chan." Mai assured her. "I'm actually responsible for keeping an eye on those two. They just like the challenge and the attention, plus they always return the swords. It's nothing you should get worked up about."

"You say that they're bloodline users?" Roshi asked with a smile. "Perhaps all those rumors about the Mizukage hating Kekkai Genkai were exaggerated after all?"

Mai gave the man a harsh glare, prompting the Yonbi container to shut his trap. The woman sighed to herself as she watched Mangetsu evade Jinpachi.

"_Yagura had his reasons… not that anyone else would understand that…" _Mai thought to herself.

"Ha! I've really gotten a feel for this thing." Mangetsu laughed as he swung the blade around. He smirked at Jinpachi who glared at him from across the field. "What's the matter? Jealous that I can use your sword better than you?"

Mangetsu, in his taunting, failed to notice Ao appear behind him.

"That's enough."

Mangetsu's eyes widened when Ao's hand came down on his outstretched arm like a sword and severed the limb from his body. His dismembered arm dispersed into water and Jinin grabbed the Blastsword before it hit the ground. Jinpachi walked over to his fellow swordsman and retrieved the Shibaki.

"Tch. Dammit." Mangetsu pouted as his arm reconstituted. He felt his leg give out when his brother kicked him in the shin. "Hey! What's the idea?"

"I didn't even get to use the sword this time!" Suigetsu said angrily. "Shibaki is the fun one too!"

"Yeah. Nothing's more fun than making random things go 'boom'." Mangetsu agreed as the two of them chuckled together. He smiled and ruffled his brother's hair. "I'll tell you what. Tomorrow, you get first dibs."

"Really?"

"Yeah. But if you lose it right off the bat your sword wielding privileges are revoked for the rest of the week."

"WHAT?"

"Speaking of which…" Mangetsu trailed off and faced the audience who had been watching. Ameyuri flinched when Mangetsu pointed and smirked at her. "Tomorrow is Wednesday."

"So it is." Ameyuri sighed.

"Oh… Kiba…" Suigetsu deflated when he remembered which sword they practiced with on Wednesdays. Figures his brother would give him first dibs on his least favorite sword.

Electricity and their water bodies didn't mix too well.

"Don't think we'll let you steal the sword so easily!" Raiga proclaimed as he comically shook his fist at the Hozuki brothers.

"Whatever." Mangetsu waved him off as he grabbed Suigetsu and took off. "So long, suckers!"

Naruto and the others only noticed the river nearby only after Mangetsu and Suigetsu jump into it. The brothers let the stream carry their liquefied bodies away.

"Cool…" Naruto muttered as he stared at the river.

"Gah, Jinpachi! How could you let your sword get stolen so easily?" Jinin scolded as he sealed away the Kabutowari in a carrier scroll. "It's a lot of trouble to get it back once those two steal it, you know?"

"…I wasn't complaining when they did the same to you yesterday." Jinpachi pointed out as he too sealed away his sword.

Jinin blushed with embarrassment and looked away. His eyebrows rose when he noticed the group of unfamiliar faces standing next to Mai and the other swordsmen.

"Who're they?" Jinin asked Ao as he stepped forward next to them.

"They are the people whom you were supposed to introduce yourselves to earlier this morning." Ao sighed. "Though, I suppose your failure to show up on time can be overlooked since you were helping Jinpachi deal with the Hozuki brothers."

"Eh? Er, I mean… of course! The meeting! I definitely didn't forget! Just helping out my comrade!" Jinin laughed to himself. "Wahahaha!"

Mai giggled as the man gave himself away while Ao palmed his forehead. The man was forgetful at the worst of times.

"Anyway, I suppose I should introduce myself!" Jinin said loudly. "My name is Jinin Akebino, proud member of the Seven Swordsmen and wielder of the Bluntsword, Kabutowari! I'm a man who's honored to serve the Mizukage, and I'm happy to meet all of you!"

"He's loud…" Fu grumbled as Gaara nodded in agreement.

"So, I am to take on one of these guys as my student, huh?" Jinin asked with a wide smile. "Finally decided to choose a successor for me?"

"No, Jinin-san. You're just supposed to keep an eye on one of them and answer any questions they might have." Ao explained. "Right now, we're helping them get adjusted since many of them are strangers to Kirigakure's environment."

"Can you teach me how to be a ninja?" Naruto asked curiously.

"Of course I can!" Jinin proclaimed, ignoring Ao. He gestured to his fellow swordsmen. "Any one of my comrades can do so if that's what you want! Do you want to be a ninja, boy?"

"Yeah! I want to become a ninja so I can accomplish my dream!" Naruto smiled proudly.

"So you have a dream! That's good!" Jinin smiled. "Every aspiring ninja should have a goal in life and a dream that keeps them going!"

"Too true, Jinin-san."

Naruto yelped when a new voice suddenly spoke up. Mai's eyes narrowed at the man who was suddenly standing next to the boy. The jinchuriki were rather surprised by his appearance. Blue skin, sharp teeth, gills… he looked like a shark.

"Kisame…"

"Hello, Mai-san." Kisame gave a toothy smile as placed Samehada onto his back and dropped the body he had been carrying in front of her. Mai arched an eyebrow at the body before looking back at him.

"Kajika…?"

"Ah, yeah, funny that. I was out for a walk and suddenly he and his team attacked me! Go figure. Naturally, I defended myself and things kinda escalated from there." Kisame said, sounding polite yet mocking at the same time.

"…And his teammates?" Mai asked.

"Like I said, I defended myself." Kisame smiled.

Mai sighed as she nudged Kajika's body. He was dead and obviously so was his team. The credibility of Kisame's story could be dealt with later.

"I don't suppose you remembered your appointment this morning?"

"Meeting the jinchuriki? Yeah, I thought I'd be back in time for that but… things happened, y'know?" Kisame smiled. He turned towards the assembled group. "Hm… lots of foreign ninja here. You sure this is wise?"

"It was the Mizukage's decision to bring them all here." Ao interjected.

"Ah, well then I suppose that's what's best then." Kisame grinned. He raised one blue hand. "Yo! The name's Kisame Hoshigaki. I use the Greatsword Samehada in combat and I love a good fight. My favorite foods are shrimp and crab, though my least favorite is shark fin soup."

Some of the swordsmen rolled their eyes at the predictable answer.

"Anyway, it's good to meet all of you. I'm sure our time together will be… an experience."

"Your skin is blue." Fu pointed out.

"Yeah… I'm a little insecure about that myself." Kisame admitted with a shrug. His easygoing smile returned to his face. "So, which one of them is mine?"

"Right, thank you for reminding me, Kisame." Ao said, stepping forward. "Now that you've all be introduced to those who will be training you, I believe it's time for each of you to actually know who your sensei is. Take your time getting to know them and work at whatever pace your comfortable with."

"And if they can't keep up, then that's their problem." Zabuza smirked underneath his bandages.

"Ao-san, there are eight of us if we include Han. Doesn't that mean one of us won't have a sensei?" Yugito asked.

Utakata smiled to himself, silently hoping he would be the one without a sensei.

"The odd one out will still participate in training, but will have the privilege of training with the Mizukage himself." Ao replied, surprising some of the jinchuriki. "Now, as for who each of you are assigned to…"

The jinchuriki glanced at the assembled group of swordsmen, wondering which one they would have to call "Sensei" from now on.

* * *

A/N: Yes. Done. And I'm very satisfied. I think I can move things along easier from here. And don't worry, you'll see who gets who in the next chapter. What did you guys think?

So as mentioned before, I'm going to take a lot of time to develop characters we haven't seen much of in the manga/anime, which is pretty much all of the Jinchuriki/Swordsmen. I'm trying my best to establish characters for each person, and I'm having great fun doing so. Some of you should have an idea of how certain characters act and present themselves, but there's going to be a lot more in depth soon. You'll learn about the jinchurikis' past a what made them who they are and what their dreams for the future are if they have any. A few bonds will also be forged in the next chapter as well.

_Things to expect_: More characters will be showing up soon. I can't have Naruto and co. just interact with the swordsmen only. I'll need to add some more characters to move things along. I wish Kirigakure had more characters for me to use… but an OC here or there should fix things up just fine. Minor characters in the manga such as Mei, Chojuro, the Hozuki brothers etc. will obviously have a much larger role in the story. The Swordsman, as you can see, will also have a much more active role in the jinchuriki's lives. Who knows… maybe a few residents from other villages will come for a visit…?

In fact, in the next chapter, Kakashi and a friend of his will also be making an appearance. I also plan to have Haku, Zabuza's loyal tool in the canon manga/anime appear at some point. HAKU WILL BE A GIRL THOUGH. She will always be a girl to me.

**Things you should be aware of**: Ao's last name is just the last name of his voice actor. Bee and A are BLOOD-RELATED in this fic. Raiga, Ameyuri's apprentice, appears IN THE ANIME so he isn't an OC for those of you who didn't known who he was. Kajika was from an OVA. This story DOESN'T COMPLETELY FOLLOW CANON, though some scenarios may be the same. Don't complain if certain events are altered.

So ask any questions you guys have if you're curious and I'll fill you in if it doesn't spoil the story. I plan to make Omakes for this story after a few more chapters have gone by and feel free to give suggestions for those. Think of it as an opportunity to play with the characters. Thanks for reading and I'll try to get the next chapter of AON up sooner. Have a good one.

Kiiam


	6. Chapter 6

Dislcaimer: I don't own Naruto

A/N: A year since this story late updated, huh? I'm a little late.

* * *

**The Swordsman**

Yagura stamped out a few more papers and filed them away absentmindedly, barely paying any attention to what he was doing. Paperwork was like a chore. He tried to put it off for as long as he could but eventually got it done when he needed to. Yagura almost felt disappointed that paperwork was the only worthwhile thing for him to do nowadays. Missing ninja were either left alone or taken care of by his men or the swordsmen if they caused trouble within their borders. Not only that, but since Kirigakure was sort of the black sheep of the elemental nations it had no treaties with other villages, not even the minor ones. Yagura supposed that was mostly due to the village's reputation.

A reputation he had earned for the village.

Yagura sighed to himself as he signed a few more papers. Really, most of the papers consisted of signing off on what ninja had gone rogue, which ninja had been killed, how many residents decided to move out of the country, and the seldom mission requests Kirigakure received. Compared to the other villages, Kirigakure was probably one of the least prosperous. All they had to boast was their military strength since they ninja the village produced were very strong, and most of their income came from village profits or from ninja they had hired out like mercenaries to take on work in other villages.

Assuming those ninja they hired out came back…

Well, it wasn't like Kirigakure's economy was in any dire state of sort. Their reputation also guaranteed the messier, high paying jobs were usually tossed in their direction. Those with matters unclean and less honorable felt Kirigakure nin were best suited for the ugly jobs.

Yagura felt amusement at that. As if any ninja's career could be clean or honorable. They were ninja. Dishonor and deception should've been labeled in their job description. If anything they did seemed noble it was because of ulterior motives, working towards something greater. Yagura understood that. There was no honor or goodwill in the work of a ninja.

Yagura leaned back in his chair and sighed. So why did he bring the jinchuriki here on a whim?

There were two knocks on the door before the door to his office opened.

"Mizukage-sama."

Yagura turned away from his paperwork when he heard Ao enter.

Roshi followed after the Kirigakure ninja with a jovial smile on his face.

"Training under the Mizukage himself…" Roshi smiled as he took the seat in front of the Mizukage's desk, propping his feet up as he did so. "Aren't I the lucky one~!"

Yagura raised his hand just as Ao was about to make a remark about Roshi's behavior. The man looked displeased but silently took his place standing behind the Mizukage.

"Care for a sip?" Roshi asked, holding out his bottle of sake towards Yagura.

"I'm fine."

"Suit yourself."

"Roshi-san," Yagura began. "I would like to-"

"Kirigakure really is a nice place though. It's nothing like the rumors you hear about." Roshi interrupted him. "I had my doubts coming here, that's for sure. I mean, a place that gets the nickname 'Village in the Bloody Mist' wouldn't seem very homey to a lot of people, but you've been very accommodating so far!"

Yagura was silent.

"And a jinchuriki for a Kage… I wonder if the villagers know?" Roshi mused. "I haven't had a chance to see most of the village, what with being locked up in a stuffy room for those couple of days before moving into that clan house, which again, thank you very much for providing! But back to the village, I'm hoping to get a tour of it soon. If you're gonna keep me here for a year I'd like to know my way around the place. Maybe sample some food and drink while we're at it. What is Kirigakure's specialty? Iwa is known for its beef dishes. But you're right next to the ocean, so I assume most of what you got is more fishy?"

Yagura rubbed his forehead in slight exasperation as Roshi took a long swig from his drink.

"…Still, I've gotta know." Roshi said, taking his feet off the desk so he could lean forward. "What's your stake in this, Mizukage-sama? Why bring us all here?"

Yagura's face was impassive. Roshi stared into his hollow eyes.

"You can't tell me you brought us here on a whim and expect me to believe you." Roshi continued sternly. "What game are you trying to play here…?"

"There is really nothing more to it than what I've already told you." Yagura replied. "Call it a whim, call it curiosity, even I'm not sure. My desire is to help all of you, regardless of whether you believe me or not."

Roshi's eyebrows went up for a moment before he leaned back in his chair.

"Is that really are there is to it…?" Roshi wondered. "But bringing all the jinchuriki here to Kiri couldn't have been easy. Iwagakure has long since given up on myself and Han, but what of the other villages? Gaara was the Kazekage's son, wasn't he? Same with Bee being the Raikage's kid. They just let them go?"

"Mizukage-sama, you don't need to-"

Yagura shook his head and Ao spoke. The man sighed and stepped back while maintaining his glare on Roshi. Yagura didn't see the harm in answering the questions Roshi was asking him. He would have to in order to help the Yonbi's jinchuriki understand and help him with what he wanted to do…

"The Kazekage and I made an arrangement regarding Gaara, and the Raikage sent both Bee and Yugito here in hopes that I would provide them with the knowledge and means to control their bijuu." Yagura told him. "Negotiations went very smoothly."

"Hm… that so?" Roshi muttered. "What about the others? Fu, Utakata, and Naruto?"

"Fu and Utakata are like you and Han." Yagura answered. "They had no connection to the villages they resided in. They are here of their own free will."

"Isn't Utakata already a resident of Kirigakure?"

"Not quite. He acted on his own until just recently."

"And your offer made him change that?"

"Persuasive measures were taken. I dealt with Han in a similar matter." Yagura held up a hand to forestall Roshi as he opened his mouth. "However, I did not force either of them to come here. They came on their own."

He wouldn't say anything about how the Swordsman had brought Utakata here though…

Roshi nodded slowly and leaned back in the chair.

"…What about Naruto?"

Yagura was silent for a moment before he answered.

"He was little complicated, but he accepted my invitation the moment I offered it to him."

Roshi raised his eyebrows at the word "complicated", but let the matter slide for now. The older man smiled as he stroked his beard.

"I gotta say, I'm a little curious about Naruto and where he's from." Roshi mused. "He's got the strongest bijuu in his gut and he's just so happy all the time. I wonder how much abuse he got compared to the rest of us, if at all."

Yagura sighed at that.

"Roshi-san, I know for a fact that Naruto has gotten his fair share of poor treatment from his village. He hasn't had it any harder than you or the others have."

Roshi gave a bitter smile in response to that. "I wonder about that…"

The man's eyes widened as he waved his arms defensively and chuckled humorously.

"Ah, but I really like the kid! Bee too. Both of them are a riot. Yugito-chan and Fu-chan are both very cute girls, and Gaara seems like a nice kid. Utakata seems like the quiet type but Han is also pretty interesting. Even though we're both from Iwa I've never actually interacted with him until just yesterday…"

"Roshi-san, I have a something I'd like to ask of you." Yagura interrupted the man before he could go off on another tangent.

"I have a feeling I already know what it is."

"The jinchuriki… need someone to watch over them." Yagura said. "I'd like you to be the one to do that."

"Brought us all here and you're already foisting off the responsibility onto another, huh?" Roshi chuckled. "I thought that you already did that with the Swordsman though."

"That's-"

"A precaution if one of our bijuu gets unstable, right?" Roshi cut in. "It's fine, I understand. If I were in a position like yours I'd probably do the same. I mean, you said it yourself. You're the Mizukage and you can't always be bothered to take care of us since the village comes first. Plus, the Swordsman won't always be around since you'd probably need them for missions every so often. You need me to be the hawk the watches over our fellow containers when no one else can, right?"

Yagura stared at Roshi intently. Despite how the man acted, he was quite perceptive…

"Hey, don't get me wrong, I'm actually happy you came to me for the job." Roshi smiled, making Yagura blink at his sudden shift in attitude. He had sounded very accusing just a few moments ago. Roshi's expression turned wistful as he stared at the bottle in his hands. "The older ones have already been exposed to the cruelty of the world and some of the younger ones have yet to see the ugly side of things. Even still, all of them deserve better than what they've been given so far. I can see it. They're all good kids. Some of them are just a bit jaded because of how people treated them. If I can, I want to give my fellow jinchuriki some happiness."

Roshi smiled at Yagura.

"You may or may not feel the same as me, but I think this is a golden opportunity for all of us." Roshi grinned. "Whether it was just a whim or something on a hidden agenda, I want to thank you for giving us all the opportunity to start anew, Mizukage-sama. I think we have a chance to experience more than just hate and oppression now…"

Yagura was silent before turning away from Roshi's earnest face.

"…I didn't really do anything." Yagura muttered.

"Trust me, you did more for any of us than anyone else ever bothered to do." Roshi smiled. "Jinchuriki should stick together, right?"

Yagura gave a slow nod at that.

"I only have two conditions for becoming our little group's den mother though." Roshi said with a humorous tone. "One, is that you do spend time helping the others when you can. Don't just leave lessons to me once you teach me how to control my demon."

Yagura closed his eyes. This man really was really something…

"Two, is that I want you to be honest with me. About everything regarding the other jinchuriki." Roshi said. "If I'm going to help them, I need to understand everything about them. Agree to those two things, and I'll stay here for as long as you want." Roshi smirked. "Hell, if I decide that I like it here I might even decide to become a Kirigakure ninja!"

Yagura folded his hands in front of him as he thought it over. Really, it was the best possible offer he could've hoped for. With Roshi being so cooperative, he had no reason to refuse. He could handle those two conditions if it was just those two.

"Alright." Yagura nodded. "Thank you, Roshi-san."

"No, no, Mizukage-sama." Roshi smiled. "Thank YOU."

* * *

Naruto followed behind his new sensei as they walked through the forest, smiling from ear to ear, trying to come up with something to say. After he had been assigned to the man they had been given permission by Ao and Mai to spend the rest of the day getting to know each other. The others had been told to do the same with their senseis, with Roshi being pulled aside to be taken to the Mizukage by Ao. Mai had said she had some business to take care of before the Mizukage's advisors both left, leaving the jinchuriki with their assigned senseis.

Naruto was very happy to know he already had someone to teach him how to be an awesome ninja. He didn't even have to go to the academy like he would've back in Konoha! But his sensei hadn't really said anything to him after they had started their little walk. Where were they even going? Did his sensei like him? Naruto really wanted to know…

"Um, sensei…?" Naruto spoke up, testing out the word. "Where are we going?"

Kisame stopped and turned back towards the blond midget he had been assigned to babysit. The man gave Naruto a sharp grin as he answered.

"To get some grub. It's close to lunchtime now so I figured we could head to town and see what we can find to eat."

"Oh! That sounds good!" Naruto smiled as he rubbed his stomach. Han's breakfast had been very filling, but at the mention of food Naruto found himself getting hungry again. He was a growing boy, after all. "Where are we going to eat?"

"I didn't have anywhere specific in mind." Kisame replied as they resumed their trek.

"Can we go eat someplace that has ramen?"

"Ramen?" Kisame thought about that for a moment before giving a careless shrug. "I don't see why not. Actually doesn't sound too bad right now."

"YEAH!" Naruto cheered at the prospect of eating even more ramen. "Ramen! Ramen!"

Kisame's lips twitched upwards slightly as he watched the kid dance around in the corner of his eye. Excitable little brat was actually pretty entertaining. When comparing the kid to Yagura, it was hard to believe the child could be a jinchuriki. And the most powerful one at that if the brat really was the host of the Kyuubi.

Well, no, he should say that the demon inside him was the most powerful one. It wasn't the host. Kisame supposed he really shouldn't compare the kid to someone as powerful as the Mizukage in that case…

"Kisame-sensei?"

Kisame glanced down at the kid who was brightly smiling up at him.

"So, what are you going to teach me first?"

"Teach you?" Kisame asked, raising an eyebrow. "Who said I was gonna teach you anything?"

"E-Eh?!" Naruto stammered as he eyes went wide. "B-But you're a ninja, right? You're a super ninja who's supposed to be one of the strongest in Kirigakure, right?!"

That's what Ao-san had said about the Seven Swordsman, Naruto remembered. And Kisame was supposed to be one of those swordsman. One of the most powerful ninja in the land and one of the only ones permitted to carry around one of those super swords they had been told about!

"Super ninja, huh?" Kisame chuckled. "Yeah, I guess you could say I'm one of those."

"So you must know lots of cool jutsu and stuff!" Naruto said. "And since you're my sensei, you can teach me how to do all the things you can do, right?"

"Look kid, the Mizukage just ordered us to keep an eye on you guys for safety's sake." Kisame said it as though he was talking about the weather. "I don't know why our esteemed leader thought bringing a bunch of jinchuriki here was a good idea, but we're only supposed to make sure none of you go berserk or try anything funny while you're here since we're probably the only ones strong enough to hold off a demon if one of yours decides to get any funny ideas. The whole 'sensei' thing is just a formality."

Naruto felt his whole world shatter before the all consuming depression set in. The boy's shoulders slumped and cloud of gloom settled over his head as he dragged his feet along side his fake sensei.

So he wouldn't be learning any cool techniques then…

Kisame noticed Naruto's sudden shift in attitude and awkwardly scratched the back of his head. He hadn't expected the kid to get so depressed.

"Er… so I guess you really want to be a ninja then, huh?" Kisame asked with an uneasy smile.

Kisame blinked when the kid's face brightened and that smile returned to his face.

From happy to depressed to happy again. He wasn't fit to be dealings with kids…

"More than anything!" Naruto gushed as he waved his arms about. "Being a ninja is the coolest thing ever! They go on missions, can use jutsu and techniques that let them transform and shoot fireballs from their hands and walk on trees and tons of other stuff! They fight and defeat the bad guys and everyone likes them! I want to become a ninja so everyone will like me!"

Kisame was nonplussed as he stared down at the blond jinchuriki. After a few moments of silence Kisame doubled over and began howling with laughter. Naruto blinked in confusion as he watched his not sensei laugh. Naruto frowned to himself. He didn't think he said anything funny…

"AHAHAhaha… ahaha… haaaa… that was too good." Kisame smiled as he wiped a tear from his eye. "I haven't laughed that long in a long time…"

"Hey, are you making fun of me?" Naruto asked as he glared at Kisame.

"Nah, not really. Maybe. Sort of." Kisame grinned as they walked along. "Say kid-"

"My name is Naruto!"

"Fine, Naruto." Kisame restated. "Which village are you from?"

"Konohagakure!"

"Ah, that would explain it then." Kisame nodded to himself with an amused smile.

Only the prosperous villages could get away with brainwashing a kid into thinking something like that. A comfortable, safe environment made it easy to hide the ugly side of the profession. Konoha certainly sounded like a village that would be full of liars if Naruto's warped perspective on what a ninja was like was anything to go by.

Seriously, as if anyone could really 'like' a ninja with all the dirty deeds they had to do every day.

Kisame grinned to himself when the forest disappeared and buildings began to replace the trees. He started heading in the direction of the marketplace before stopping and turning back towards his tag along.

Kisame's eyebrows shot up when he noticed Naruto darting between the alleyways and light posts. The boy suddenly seemed very skittish and was keeping low to the ground, almost like he was hiding from something…

"Hey, what the hell are you doing?" Kisame called out to the kid.

Naruto froze when he felt Kisame's eyes on him along with the other villagers who had noticed him because of Kisame's shout. Naruto's eyes darted around frantically, gauging each of the villagers for their expressions and movements.

The boy found himself very surprised at what he saw.

There were no sneers and glares aimed at him in the small crowd. There were no people throwing things at him or preparing to. Naruto was shocked to find that some people were even smiling at him, as if they were amused by his actions! He didn't even… why weren't they glaring at him? Back in Konoha, everyone would glare at him. But these people…

"You wanna play hide and seek or something?"

Naruto jumped when he heard Kisame's voice next to him. The swordsman was staring down at him with a perplexed look on his face.

"Gotta say if that's what game you want to play, I'm at a bit of a disadvantage." Kisame pointed out with a frown. "The blue skin kinda makes me stand out…"

"Um, w-well, no that's not…" Naruto stuttered before swallowing his anxiety. "Um… Kisame-sensei…?"

"Yeah?"

"Um… why aren't they glaring at me?" Naruto asked, pointing to a few of the villagers.

Kisame's face twisted in confusion at that before the realization dawned on him. Kisame grinned and leaned close to Naruto's ear.

"They don't know about your condition." Kisame whispered to him. "To them, you're nothing but a regular kid. You won't be getting any of the crap you got back home."

Naruto's anxious expression immediately melted into a peaceful one at these words. That's right… the villagers hated him because of the demon fox inside him. They all knew about it somehow even when Naruto hadn't. Back in Konoha, everyone knew. In Kirigakure, only he knew…

Naruto came to a sudden conclusion at that.

Kirigakure was a much better place that Konohagakure. Here, nobody would glare at him.

"Don't just stand there." Kisame said as he turned on his heel and began walking again. "I'm still hungry, and weren't you all excited about getting ramen before? Hurry up."

Naruto beamed as he ran after his sensei.

"Yeah!"

As he happily walked beside the swordsman, Naruto wondered how Gaara and the others were doing with their senseis…

* * *

"So! What's you're name, boy?"

"G-Gaara!"

Jinin nodded and grinned down at the small boy in front of him. To think he finally had a student of his own. Granted, his actual mission was to monitor Gaara and make sure the Ichibi remained stable, but his gracious Kage had given him to train the boy if he wished! Jinin had always been jealous of Ameyuri, Mei and Zabuza for having apprentices of their own. Ameyuri had Raiga, Mei had Chojuro, and he had caught Zabuza teaching and directing other young ninja in his spare time. Though it was the Hozuki brothers whom he taught most of the time. But now he had his own apprentice, Gaara, and Jinin would train him to be the apprentice of all apprentices!

"And the apprentice of apprentices you shall be!" Jinin shouted, voicing his thoughts aloud.

"W-What…?"

"'What' is not the question! 'Yes' is the answer I demand!" Jinin bellowed, nearly causing Gaara to jump three feet in the air. "You want to be a ninja!"

"I… I do?"

"Of course you do! You would not refer do me as sensei if you did not!"

"E-Eh?!"

"We begin our training today! We'll train day and night, showing that Jinin's precious apprentice is the best apprentice of all!" Jinin shouted. "And then Mei and Ameyuri will both see how great a man I am for taking you under my wing and maybe that uppity brat Zabuza will finally treat his superiors with some respect! GWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Jinin threw his head back as he continued to laugh, imagining the two beautiful sword maidens swooning over him and Zabuza admitting that he was his better. And best of all, he would be able to make the Mizukage proud!

"Now, first we should-!"

Jinin blinked when he saw a splotch of red hair retreating into the distance. The man panicked and took off after Gaara.

"W-Wait! I'm not the best runner! Don't go! Did I say something to offend you, my student?!"

Gaara picked up spend, his expression one of open fear. He had to get away from the loud man and find Naruto! His friend would protect him!

* * *

"Oh!"

Yugito clapped her hands to applaud her new sensei as she demonstrated her abilities. Ameyuri lowered the two Kiba as the sparks settled down. The woman enjoyed the blonde girl's reaction to her little show. It was only a cheap trick, but it created a nice effect.

"Um, Ameyuri-san?" Yugito asked.

"Not sensei?" Ameyuri asked with a teasing smile. Yugito scratched her cheek in slight embarrassment as her face flushed a bit.

"Ah, um… I wouldn't want to presume. You're really only supposed to watch over us, yes? It's similar to how Bee and I were treated back in Kumo." Yugito smiled. "I'm just a stranger to you, a foreigner at that. I don't think it would be proper to teach your techniques to someone like me. Besides, Raiga-san is already your apprentice, so…"

Raiga arched his eyebrows at the girl who stood beside him. She was polite. Almost too polite, really…

"It's not like I spend all my time teaching Raiga. Having him around is more or less a way to stave off boredom."

"Sensei…"

"Just kidding, Raiga-kun. That was a joke." Ameyuri giggled to herself.

Raiga frowned and grumbled to himself.

"The Kiba Boltswords…" Yugito murmured as she stared at the two swords Ameyuri was holding. "One of Kirigakure's famous swords…"

"Seven swords and seven swordsman." Ameyuri nodded. She smirked and twirled around one of her swords. "Though, shouldn't it be eight swords? Kiba has is two blades, after all. The twin might feel left out…"

"Sensei…"

Raiga sighed when he heard Yugito giggle next to him. He cringed when he saw the glint in his sensei's eye. Now that she had gotten a laugh it would be hard to get her to stop.

"Want to see that technique again?" Ameyuri asked.

"Yes!" Yugito cheered before stopping and composing herself. "I-I mean, if you wouldn't mind…"

Ameyuri smiled and crossed the blades together. Sparks crack and jump off the two swords as the woman brought them apart and began rotating them, using her chakra affinity to build up power until she raised the swords and released the electricity in one burst. A blue ball of plasma shot into the sky, exploding into a shower of pretty sparks that fizzled out as the static and electricity discharged. Ameyuri lowered the blades a smiled at Yugito.

"Shocking, isn't it?"

Yugito fell over as Raiga slapped his hand over his forehead after hearing his teacher's terrible pun.

"Sensei…"

Ameyuri clicked her tongue at their reactions. She would have to work on that joke a bit more…

* * *

Utakata sighed to himself as he followed his… _sensei_, into the bar. Even having one was bad enough, but to get HER out of all the Seven Ninja Swordsman?

Mei smiled to herself and took in the fresh smell of good booze as she led her apprentice and her new student into the bar. When the barkeep noticed her, he gave a defeated sigh before pulling out a bottle of sake and sliding it over the counter in her direction. Mei smiled and took the bottle, winking at the bartender who only rolled his eyes in response. Mei took a seat at a booth nearby, pulling Chojuro down to sit next to her while Utakata reluctantly took a seat across from them. The jinchuriki glanced at the blue haired boy who casually looked around the bar. Utakata slapped his forehead. Her apprentice was behaving like this in a bar full of loud, obnoxious drinkers and if the bartender's reaction to Mei was anything to go by, Utakata could probably assume Mei was a regular here.

He wasn't surprised by that at all.

"So, Utakata-chan." Mei smiled at him. Utakata's eyebrow twitched at the suffix. "Tell us about yourself!"

"…I think I'll refrain." Utakata said with as much false politeness as he could muster.

"Mou, don't be like that!" Mei giggled. "We should take this opportunity to get to know one another! You're going to be staying in Kirigakure for at least a year from what I was told, so wouldn't it be better to learn about the two people you'll be spending most of your time with?"

Not if he had anything to say about it.

"Um, Utakata-san?" Chojuro spoke up. Utakata ignored Mei in favor of the boy who was at least being polite. "Kirigakure is your home country, right?"

"Yes. What of it?"

"S-So then why were you a rogue ninja if you don't mind me asking?"

"Other than the fact that my 'condition' made it hard for most people to stand being around me?" Utakata replied, making Chojuro wince and duck his head shamefully. "It was because the village didn't really have anything to offer me and I didn't like the idea of working for another person. I had my own problems to deal with and preferred to handle them alone without interference."

"Hm…? Is that so?" Mei smiled as she playfully tapped a finger against her lips. "What about your sensei, Utakata-chan?"

Utakata's teeth grinded together as he glared daggers at Mei who only smiled demurely in response, not the least bit fazed by his ire.

"Do not speak of that scum." Utakata snarled. "Not in front of me."

"You have such a charming face too… yet you're so distant and angry." Mei pouted as she took a drink. "But how can I help myself? We wouldn't have anything to talk about if I hadn't done that background check on you…"

Utakata's eyes widened as his anger flared.

"We have absolutely nothing on the other containers, so I'm glad you were assigned to me. Since you're native to the Land of Water, we had a bit of information on you. And we do keep tabs on our own jinchuriki. Really, I wouldn't have known what to do if I was paired with any of the other jinchuriki.

"You…"

"Don't be so hostile!" Mei said, giving Utakata a warm smile. He patted her chest as she gestured to herself. "You can confide in me! Tell me anything you want. I look out for my students. I'm your sensei, after all~!"

Utakata's fists slammed down on the table loudly. The commotion in the bar ceased as some patrons looked over towards their table. Utakata's face was contorted in fury as he glared at Mei, who calmly stared back at him.

"I will _never _call you sensei or even think of you as such."

After growling that out Utakata left the table and stormed out of the bar. Mei sighed and knocked back her drink as the patrons returned to what they were doing, though some of them glanced towards them and mumbled under their breath.

"S-Sensei, weren't you a little too…?"

"It's fine, Chojuro." Mei smiled, waving off her student's worries. "He'll come around. He just had some issues with his old sensei that's making him hold a few grudges about getting a new one. Be nice to him, okay? He's your fellow apprentice now."

"I-I know. And I suppose he has a right to be angry after all he's gone through but…" Chojuro trailed off. "He shouldn't have said something like that to you…"

Mei smiled at her apprentice and pulled him into a hug.

"At least I have one cute apprentice who likes me." Mei smiled as Chojuro's face went red. "Utakata-chan will accept the both of us sooner or later. We just have to be persistent!"

"Y-Yes, sensei…"

Mei smiled as she took another drink. Two students to teach… having Chojuro was fun but now she had Utakata to take care of too. Well, she'd show him that she was the best sensei ever! He'd be calling her "Terumi-sensei" in no time.

* * *

Kushimaru stared down at the girl in front of him.

Fu had to lean back to stare back at the tall man towering above her. The girl glared at him.

"You're too tall." Fu frowned.

"Ah, hm… you think so?" Kushimaru wondered, happy that the girl had finally said something. She had done nothing but glare at him for the past ten minutes and he hadn't been able to come up with anything to say to her.

"Yeah. No one should be that tall. You're too tall." Fu repeated, nodding to herself as if this was a fact.

"I can't help it if I'm tall. This was just how I grew up." Kushimaru defended himself.

Fu pouted and turned her head down. Her eyes only reached just above his knees. Kushimaru sat down and leaned forward so she would have an easier time talking to him.

"So… Fu-chan." Kushimaru began. "Um… where are you from?"

"Takigakure."

"…I'm from Kirigakure."

"I know."

"…Do you have any hobbies?" Kushimaru tried.

"Hobbies?"

"Things you like to do." The swordsman clarified

Fu's face scrunched up for a moment as she thought about that. She nodded to herself and proudly placed her hands on her hips.

"I like climbing." Fu smiled.

"Climbing?"

"Trees and stuff." Fu elaborated. "I'm really good at it."

"I see." Kushimaru nodded, glad he was finally getting somewhere. He smiled behind his mask as he dug around in his pouch pocket and pulled out a roll of red cloth and a needle.

Fu tilted her head curiously at the items the tall man had produced.

"I like to sew." Kushimaru said proudly.

* * *

"You know, I'm actually training to become a swordsman myself!"

Jinpachi glanced up from the book he was reading. Bee smiled at the man from across the table. The two had gone into town after the meeting at the training grounds had ended and Jinpachi had offered to buy Bee lunch. He figured it was a good way to break the ice and help get the teen situated in Kirigakure. They hadn't had any problems so far, except for when Bee would suddenly break into rap…

"Is that so?" Jinpachi asked, turning a page in his book.

"Yep!" Bee grinned. "Swinging swords is just… it's got a better feel than throwing around shuriken or kunai. Just a couple of quick slashes and everything in front of you dies!"

Jinpachi sighed at the attempt at a rhyme. "There's more to swordsmanship than just that…"

"I know, but I was just saying." Bee smiled. He finished off his beef bowl and picked up his two chopsticks, holding them in his hands like tiny swords. "I can already use two pretty well! See? Like this! And this!"

The swordsman looked on impassively as Bee began to swing around the chopsticks like they were actual swords. The man sighed and shook his head at Bee's impromptu demonstration. There was a time and place for such foolishness, and in a public restaurant where everyone else could see in the middle of the day was not the time to demonstrate chopstick swordsmanship.

People were staring…

"Or something like that anyway." Bee said, thankfully deciding to stop waving around those chopsticks. "Hey, Jinpachi-san?"

"Hm?"

"What are the Seven Ninja Swordsman like?"

"What makes you ask that?"

"I don't know." Bee shrugged. "I'm just wondering what you think about the other swordsman. I'm other ninja have their opinions based on rumors and reputation, but I want to hear it from one of the swordsman himself! I mean, how many people can say they've had an opportunity to sit down and talk with you like I have?"

Jinpachi thought a bit about that. Mei and Jinin were probably the most social of the swordsman while the others, him especially, mostly just kept to themselves. Ninja weren't meant to form connections, and Jinpachi saw no reason to. He did not consider the other swordsman his friends, he saw them as associates in work. He didn't like all of them, but he respected them as ninja.

"What would you like to know?" Jinpachi asked. He didn't see the harm in indulging the boy a little. It wouldn't do any harm.

"Just, y'know, what are they like as people and how would you rate them?" Bee asked curiously.

Jinpachi leaned back in his seat as he gave the matter some thought. "Each swordsman is a titan. A warrior so strong that any one of us could take down a small army single-handedly. And that's without our swords. We weren't selected to become the ninja swordsman due to our proficiency in wielding our blades, we earned our positions through our own individual skills."

Jinpachi chose not to mention some of the quirks he felt the other swordsman could do without. Mei's drinking, Kushimaru's hobby, Ameyuri's puns… Jinin's shouting…

"How did you guys become swordsman?" Bee asked, beginning to really get into the conversation.

"Well, Jinin and myself are the oldest members. Following us there's Ameyuri, Zabuza and Kushimaru. Then the most recent members are Kisame and Mei."

"How recent we talking here?"

"They both became swordsman around the time Yagura became the Mizukage. Ameyuri and Kushimaru a little bit before that, but only by a few months. Zabuza was a swordsman for a year or two before them. Jinin and I, however, have been part of the Seven Swords for years and years. We were swordsman during the old Mizukage's reign…"

"Did you have problems taking orders from Yagura at first since you guys had worked under another Kage?"

"Hm? Oh, no, the Seven Swordsman were an independent group during the Sandaime Mizukage's reign."

"Really? Why's that?"

"A lesser known fact is that the legendary blades each of us all wield were once spread out throughout the Land of Water, either owned by who had been the current swordsman or hidden away someplace by a wielder who died and didn't want to relinquish the weapon. Yagura, our Mizukage, was the one who brought the Ninja Swordsman together and created the group itself. It was one of the first things he did in his rise to power."

"Wow… so how did you guys become the Ninja Swordsman?" Bee asked. "Like, individually?"

"I know Jinin acquired his blade when his father passed it down to him. He was the wielder of the Bluntsword before he passed it on." Jinpachi answered. "I acquired the Blastsword when I was a freelance ninja during the previous Mizukage's time. I found it in an abandoned mine trying to escape some hunter ninja I had been trying escape from after I had been hired to kill a friend of theirs. I found Shibaki and used it to bring the entire mine down on my hunters. I've had it with me ever since."

"And what about the others?" Bee asked excitedly.

"I don't know about the others." Jinpachi said bluntly. "All I know for certain is that each one of them killed the previous owners to get the legendary blades they all wield now. If you want to know the stories behind how they did, go ask them."

Bee's eyes widened at that. They had all killed the old swordsman? What the… well, he had heard about Kirigakure's bloody civil war that had gone not even a decade ago. He could see how some of the swordsman could have been killed by the current generation in an environment like that.

"Good enough for you?" Jinpachi asked.

"Ah, yeah. It's cool to know all that. Thanks for telling me." Bee smiled. "Hey, since I'm technically I'm your student and you're my sensei, is there any chance of me inheriting Shibaki?"

"Only if you kill me."

Bee gaped silently at Jinpachi who calmly sipped his tea in response. A small smirk formed on Jinpachi's face after a few minutes as he turned back to his book.

"Afraid you can't do it?" Jinpachi asked.

Bee was more worried by the fact that he hadn't said he was just joking.

* * *

Han shoved past the crowd as he made his way through the village. Once he had ditched the Mizukage's advisors and left his fellow jinchuriki behind, the Gobi container had decided to spend his time exploring the village. He hadn't really had the opportunity to take a look around the place and now was a good a time as any. It was more productive than following Ao or Mai along, in any case.

The village itself was far less crowded than Iwagakure. The marketplaces were bustling with activity but there weren't as much people as Han had expected, and other than those places there weren't very many people standing around. The buildings were in good shape though some looked more rundown and dirtier than others. Han also noted that unless it was a shop of some sort, most buildings had windows that were covered up or had the blinds down, preventing anyone from looking standing outside from looking inside.

He supposed that stereotype of all Kirigakure villagers being paranoid wrecks held some truth after all. Kirigakure was more like a larger, cleaner war bunker than anything else. The people seemed to keep to themselves unless they had business in town, they were friendly unless someone made a move that could be interpreted as hostile, and some ninja walked around as if they owned the damn place.

Han watched as two ninja, chunin if their flak jackets were anything to go by, began roughing up a smaller man who ducked in on himself like a turtle, hoping he could hide from the two browbeats. Han chuckled with dark amusement when one of the ninja kicked the helpless man to the ground.

Deciding to test something out, Han suddenly stepped forward in front of a woman passing by and gave her an ugly, intimidating sneer when she turned her face up to look at him. The woman screamed and immediately took off running. Han watched with a smirk as the woman went, noting that the villagers who had been watching had either retreated back inside their houses or ignored what had just transpired right in front of their eyes.

Given what he had heard about Kirigakure, Han supposed that their reactions were fitting. It wasn't like the villagers could stand up to a strong ninja, and the shinobi just took advantage of that if it suited them.

The weak were food for the strong it seemed.

Han found himself liking the village a bit more after deducing that.

Content with his observations and analysis of the village and its people, Han decided to head back to the small clan district where he and the other jinchuriki were staying. It was only a little past noon so he hoped that most of the others were still out, probably following around their so called "senseis" Han supposed. He scoffed at that. Like he would be following orders from anyone else or let someone hound him 24/7. He hated it when people watched him or tried bossing him around. He'd listen to the Mizukage to some extent, but anyone else he would promptly ignore.

No one told him what to do.

Han stepped into the district grounds and headed towards the main house. He would have to ask Yagura where he could get materials for his armor. He had plenty to work with for now, but without hunter ninja hounding him like they did in Iwagakure he could relax and immerse himself in his work. Hell, he might even be able to have his armor completed within the year with the peace and quiet he'd be getting as compared to all the dodging around he had to do before. The plates could be kept intact more easily and he wouldn't even have to waste time repairing them now that he had a safe place to keep them…

The tall jinchuriki was so lost in his musings and excitement over the prospect of finally being able to complete his work that he only noticed the noise coming from the kitchen when he was in the room adjacent to it. Han frowned when he heard glass breaking. Grumbling to himself, Han stepped into the kitchen to yell at whichever one of the jinchuriki was making a mess of the kitchen. After all, that's where he'd be spending his spare time to cook and he didn't want any of the utensils broken or the food wasted!

Han blinked at the white haired boy who suddenly froze in front of him. The boy had an armful of boxes and packages in his arms with a biscuit held between his teeth. All the cabinets were opened up and Han could spot the broken plates and glass littered around the floor. Han momentarily turned his attention away from the petrified brat for a moment and looked towards the open pantry door. He could hear someone shuffling around inside it.

It didn't take a genius to know what was going on here. They were being robbed.

Han's eyes narrowed.

"Man, I thought this place was deserted!" Mangetsu laughed as he walked out of the pantry, his own arms filled with food. "Looks like some suckers decided to move in and leave all this out for-"

Mangetsu stopped talking when he noticed his little brother standing motionless in front of him. The teenager's eyes widened when he saw the tall, pissed off guy glaring at the two of them.

"Who the fuck are you two and what the hell do you think you're doing with all that food?" Han demanded with a low, dangerous tone.

Suigetsu had backpedaled to stand beside his brother. Mangetsu simply stared at Han with an impassive look on his face before calmly opening his mouth, already knowing how to deal with this sudden turn of events.

"CHEESE IT!"

Han blinked and stood in shock for a moment as the two brats suddenly disappeared. Clenching his fists angrily, Han slowly took a deep, calming breath before a smile rose to his face.

This was fine. It was funny whenever they tried to run.

"Ha, ha! What a sucker!" Mangetsu chortled as he and his brother shot out the door and towards the exit of the district, food held firmly in their hands. "Suigetsu, is he following us?!"

"No! We're good!" Suigetsu grinned as he tailed behind his brother.

"Awesome! This stuff should last us at least a week if we-!"

Mangetsu yelped when suddenly ran into something hard. He fell on his back as the food scattered to the ground. Rubbing his head as he sat up, Mangetsu frowned to himself. What had he run into? Mangetsu's eyes widened as he looked up.

And up.

Han smiled as he cracked his knuckles. Mangetsu gaped at him while Suigetsu just shook in place. The look on the jinchuriki's face was terrifying.

"I hope you're ready to pay for that food you just tried to steal." Han said.

Mangetsu just stared.

"It won't cost much. Just your life." Han said casually.

"Isn't that a little steep?!"

"Nah. Your lives aren't worth much." Han said with a shrug. He grinned and brought his fist down on the thief's head.

Han blinked when his whole arm was suddenly soaked with water and the kid was gone.

"Hah! You dumb bastard!"

Han's growled to himself and turned around, watching Mangetsu's liquid body reconstitute and stick his tongue out at him.

"Our Kekkai Genkai let's us turn our bodies into water! This ain't flesh! It's liquid!" Mangetsu laughed triumphantly.

Han took another calming breath before standing up and flexing his hand. He ignored the smaller brat behind him and focused all his attention on the older brat who thought he was smart enough to fuck with him.

"So your body essentially just water, huh?" Han asked, trying to confirm something. "It has all the same properties as any other liquid, right?"

"What, didn't you hear me the first time?!" Mangetsu sneered. "I've still got organs and blood and stuff, but I can convert anything into water! It's all just water! You can't hit me!"

Mangetsu blinked in confusion when a sadistic smile suddenly stretched across Han's face.

* * *

Mai made her way to the jinchuriki district at her own pace. Behind her, Zabuza lazily dragged his feet across the ground. Since the jinchuriki he had been assigned to turned tail and left, Ao had ordered him to patrol the village with Mai. He hadn't particularly cared when Han had left before, but he hadn't wanted to get stuck with patrol duty as an alternative. And he still had to go and at least introduce himself to the guy, even though he had already said many times over that he didn't want to become anyone's sensei.

But every time he said that Mai reminded him of Mangetsu, Suigetsu and the other ninja she knew he taught.

Zabuza scoffed to himself. He anyone's sensei or mentor. He just didn't mind giving a few pointers to the lost lambs every once in a while. Some of the twerps and younger ninja had potential, and what kind of man was he if he just stood around and let it go to waste?

"Can't say I'm looking forward to formally introducing myself to the Gobi container." Zabuza muttered. "Doubt he'll do anything I tell him to."

"Oh? Too much to handle for you, Zabuza?"

"No. I just don't see the point in wasting my time hanging around someone who's plenty strong and probably already has his demon cowed."

Mai turned her head and raised her eyebrow at the man.

"What makes you think Han has mastered the Gobi's chakra?"

"I didn't say he mastered the Gobi's chakra, but I read the report after that first night." Zabuza retorted. "Han had the least problems. Hell, he had absolutely NO problems during their little meeting in containment. Plus, with a kid with as much bloodlust as him, I doubt a demon could do much to change what's already there."

Mai frowned to herself as she thought of the Gobi container. While she was relieved that they probably have any problems with the demon, the host was in definite need of an attitude adjustment. If Zabuza was still unwilling to give it, then perhaps it would be best to-

"Hello there, Mai-san. Zabuza-san."

Both Mai and Zabuza blinked as a voice greeted them from… below…?

The two Kirigakure ninja just stared down at the head of red hair stuck in the ground. A familiar face was smiling up at the two of them.

"Wha… uh… Roshi… san…?" Mai sputtered, staring at the head in the ground with a bewildered look on her face.

"Afternoon." Roshi smiled. The man pouted and turned away. "You know, I thought that the Kirigakure ninja robes were stylish at first, but now I find myself hating them. I can't see anything good from down here while that's in the way…"

Mai gave an amused chuckle as the man smiled at his joke and pulled his body out of the ground. Zabuza just continued to stare incredulously at the man who had sprouted out of the ground like some kind of plant.

"Is there a reason you were stuck in the ground like that?" Mai asked.

"It's faster to avoid crowds if I just dig underground." Roshi smiled. "Gets me to where I need to go in the blink of an eye!"

"You… dug all the way here from the Mizukage's tower?"

"There's more to it than that, but don't worry about it. I just had the most enlightening discussion with our dear Mizukage!"

"I see…" Mai said slowly. "And what did you think…?"

"You have nothing to worry about." Roshi smiled, patting his chest with his fist confidently. "You all can count on me."

Mai's expression relaxed. "That's good to know."

"So, where are you and Zabuza-san headed?"

"To the district all of you are staying at. We were going to wait for Han to show up so we could… discuss his attitude at the meeting earlier today and how he left without proper permission."

"Oooh! I'd like to watch that!"

"You're welcome to." Mai smiled. "Now, why don't we-"

"GAAAAAAAARRAHAHFHAAAAGH!"

The three of them heard the bloodcurdling scream of pain and anguish and took off down the road towards the sound. They made it to the entrance of the jinchuriki district in time to see someone barrel out of the entrance, screaming all the while.

Zabuza recognized the figure immediately.

"Mangetsu?"

"AAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUGGGHHH! MY FLESH IS BURNING!"

The teen collapsed to the ground and began rolling around on the ground with his hands covering his face. As the three older ninja observed him, they noticed that a fair amount of steam was rising out from between his hands and his skin looked red and appeared to be… boiling…

Mangetsu's face was boiling.

Roshi heard Mai slap her forehead as they both reached the same conclusion.

"Han." Mai sighed. "To think he would be able to foil even those two…"

As if on cue, Han walked out of the entranceway. Suigetsu's head was clutched in one of his hands, dangling the boy above the ground as the younger Hozuki tried not to void his bowels due to fear of the situation he and his brother were in.

To think the new guy had been someone who could actually HURT them… they had terrible luck.

"Ow… ow… OW!" Mangetsu hissed as he brought his hands away from his red face. His eyes widened when he saw his brother in the clutches of the monster.

"N-Nii-san…" Suigetsu stammered. "H-Help…"

Mangetsu stared in silence for a few moments before he got up and bowed.

"Suigetsu… you were a good brother…"

"...Eh?"

"You might have been a brat sometimes, and there were times where we didn't quite get along, but you were a good little brother. I'll never forget your sacrifice."

"WHAT?! YOU'RE LEAVING ME! YOU ASSHOLE!"

"Yes, but your death will be remembered. Once I climb to the top I'll look back on this day, remembering as you saw me off with a smile."

"I'M NOT SMILING YOU DOUCHEBAG!"

"Farewell, dear brother. I'll always love you."

Giving him a sharp salute, Mangetsu took off down the road. Roshi, Mai and Zabuza stared after him in silence for a few moments before Roshi spoke up.

"They should do stand-up." Roshi grinned. "That older one even managed to squeeze out a dramatic tear as he ran away…"

"Geez, those two…" Zabuza groaned. "Always messing around…"

"Hey."

The three of them turned towards Han. The jinchuriki held out Suigetsu with a irritated look on his face.

"Does this belong to any of you?" Han asked.

* * *

A/N: There we go. More to come within the year.

Now that I'm back I'm glad to get this chapter out. More character development to come and we'll learn more about the jinchuriki and the swordsman as time goes on. What I'm really looking forward to are the interactions between everyone. It's gonna be so much fun developing the jinchuriki we haven't seen much of. And then there's the bijuu themselves... well, that'll come eventually.

Anyway, sorry for the long wait and please ignore any grammer mistakes for the time being. I'll come back and edit this chapter later. Anyone still reading this? I loved this story since I thought it had lots of potential, and it still does! Well, regardless, thanks for reading everyone. Hope you enjoyed it and the next one is coming in less than a year, that I promise.

Kiiam


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto

A/N: First update of the new year. Sorry it took a while. Hope you all enjoy.

* * *

**Face Up**

Suigetsu and his brother were orphans living in Kirigakure. They were the last of the Hozuki Clan, or so they assumed since never in their entire lives had they met anyone else like them, and everyday was a fight for survival.

Or at least everyday would have been if they hadn't lucked out a few years back.

It had all stemmed from a prank. His older brother told him one day that they'd be stealing one of the legendary swords possessed by the Seven Swordsman of Kirigakure. Suigetsu had been worried, afraid even, since his brother's sudden ambition went far beyond breaking into strangers' houses or stealing food from the marketplace. But he trusted his brother. All he had was his brother, so he trusted him.

It was a mistake Suigetsu often repeated and even more often he forgot that Mangetsu was a complete douchebag of an older brother who would abandon him at the first sign of trouble.

Such was how their first attempt to steal a sword went, setting up a poorly prepared ambush for Zabuza using a bucket, glue, and lots of water that ended up with him under the ninja swordsman's boot and Mangetsu making a hasty escape, leaving his little brother at the mercy of one of the most terrifying men in all of Kirigakure.

The way everything turned out in the end still befuddled Suigetsu to this day.

Zabuza hadn't ripped his head off his shoulders or impaled him with his sword (Suigetsu had forgotten that both prospects would not have mattered due to his bloodline in his fear of the situation, but that's neither here nor there) and instead sat the boy down and began pointing out the errors in his and his brother's ambush attempt out of all things. To Suigetsu's further shock, the man had proceeded to actually educate him on the proper ways to set a trap and even taught him a few fighting stances and techniques that would, in his words, "help you last longer if you're ever stupid enough to try and attack one of the Seven Swordsman again".

Against all rhyme and reason, Suigetsu had then decided to try pressing his astounding luck even further and asked Zabuza if he could give the Kubichikouro a few swings.

The boy had nearly broken into hysterics when the man handed him the hilt.

Anger immediately replaced the disbelief when the sword's weight literally tore his hands off when Zabuza handed it off to him. The swordsman laughed as Suigetsu's hands reconstituted, ignoring the boy's angry shouts.

That was when the woman with her green hair tied in braids showed up.

Suigetsu remembered being terrified by the look on the woman's face when Zabuza casually told her what he and his brother tried to attempt. Even though she had been smiling, there had been a heavy pressure in her gaze that made Suigetsu wish that he could've just disappeared on the spot. He had nearly screamed when the woman suddenly dropped Mangetsu in front of him. His brother's face had an odd purple shade to it, almost like he was choking on something. The woman, Mai, had then dragged both Hozuki brothers and forced them to clean up the Mizukage's tower under her surveillance. It had taken hours and they hadn't had an opportunity to escape, and Suigetsu was afraid of provoking a woman who had apparently found a way to catch Mangetsu despite his Kekkai Genkai. And after all was said and done, the woman had smiled a serene smile, handed them a bag of treats and casually told them where to find Zabuza if they ever decided they wanted to try something stupid again.

"Just try not to get caught, or you'll be punished like you were today."

That had been her parting comment before tossing both of them out the door. The brothers had sat motionless in front of the tower for several minutes until Mangetsu declared:

"Tomorrow, we go for Kisame's Sword."

And that was how the Hozuki brothers' daily sword stealing sprees started. In the beginning they were always caught and Mai would force them to do something mundane or labor intensive as punishment, but the routine was accepted in some strange way. There were days when they succeeded, others when they failed but for the past couple years it was how the Hozuki brothers lived day to day. On that day, Suigetsu was convinced that he and his brother had unbelievable luck. Or that their lives had a weird balance of some sort.

Which is why Suigetsu did not find it too hard to believe that after trying to steal food from some new arrivals in that formerly deserted clan district and being caught by some tall, intimidating teenager who could actually HURT him and his brother, not minutes afterward he was sitting in the kitchen of the house he tried to steal from, sitting across from an old guy with red hair who was smiling welcomingly at him.

"So… Suigetsu-kun?" Roshi smiled at the stiff boy. "Aren't you going to eat any of that?"

Oh yeah. The man talking to him had cooked up some fish and rice and had offered it to him. He wasn't sure if it was a trap or not. His life was crazy though. If he hadn't been sure before he was sure of it now, what with this surreal situation.

"You wanted food, right?" Roshi asked the boy, looking perplexed. "It's why you tried stealing from us, right? Doesn't this save you a lot of trouble?"

Suigetsu slowly turned his head towards Mai, who was leaning against the wall and looking quite amused by the whole situation.

"M-Mai-san…?" Suigetsu began shakily. "Is… is this some new form of weird torture you're trying out on me before trying it on rogue ninja?"

"Torture? Now see here, my food isn't that bad!" Roshi said in mock anger. "I am offended! Insulting my cooking is a more grievous crime than stealing! I'm not the chef Han-kun is, but I'm decent enough!"

Suigetsu jumped when he heard someone snort derisively from behind him. It came from the person who currently ranked as his Most Feared Person in the World now.

"You're feeding him." Han stated, rubbing his forehead in frustration as he tried and failed to remember how they had gotten to where they were. "You're feeding a thief. With our food that he was trying to steal."

Han was sure to emphasize his statement.

"Right, and he failed. So I'm giving him a compensation prize." Roshi smiled. "Grilled fish and rice isn't anything grand. It's simple. Simple enough for a loser who couldn't steal a few boxes of food properly."

Despite himself, Suigetsu felt a bit ticked off by that comment. Mai was having a hard time stifling her laughter. Han felt the urge to punch Roshi in his smiling face from earlier that morning return.

"This is unbelievable." Han growled, fed up with the entire situation. "I'm outta here."

Han made a move to leave the kitchen, but found his path blocked by a bandaged face. The Gobi jinchuriki glared at Zabuza who glared right back.

"You don't have permission to leave yet, Han-kun." Mai smiled softly. "The reason we came here was because we wanted to discuss your actions from earlier this morning."

Han only sneered at her in response, shoving past Zabuza and pausing at the door. "…I really am surprised though. I guess the waterboy brothers are proof that some rumors about this place really are exaggerated. After all, if those two little bastards are running around then all that stuff about the Purges was blown way out of proportion."

Letting his comment linger the Gobi jinchuriki took his leave, slamming the door behind him.

"…Kid's got a lot of nerve. Can't tell whether or not I like him." Zabuza smirked. "And he was the one I was supposed to look after?"

"…Are you saying you can't?" Mai asked quietly.

"If you don't mind me beating him into a bloody mess first. I can tell he won't let you put any sort of leash on him if he thinks that's the case." Zabuza replied. "He won't let anyone supervise him, and if I read the report right I doubt he'll need one."

"I see…"

While it was true Han hadn't reacted at all to his demon, that didn't mean he wouldn't in the future. And someone that apathetic and bloodthirsty couldn't be left alone. In an environment like Kirigakure, it would only provoke and encourage those who were looking for trouble. And Kiri was full of people waiting for an excuse to start a fight…

Mai nodded and smiled to herself. "Then other measures will have to be taken so that he at least learns to listen… and that there are certain issues he shouldn't make light of."

Zabuza chuckled a bit at that. The Gobi container had already dug his own grave now that he had gotten on Mai's bad side. Ao's too.

"I should go make my report to the Mizukage. Zabuza, since you won't have to deal with Han any longer finish patrolling the village for me, won't you? You're free to do what you want after that. And Roshi-san?"

"Yes, Mai-san?"

"Once you're finished with Suigetsu feel free to kick him out. I'll find him later."

Suigetsu shivered as Mai and Zabuza both left the building. Roshi chuckled a bit before turning back to observe the youngest Hozuki brother. Suigetsu sat motionless, staring down at the plate of food in front of him. Silence permeated the room.

"You feel uncomfortable around Mai-san?" Roshi asked the boy.

"Her and Ao." Suigetsu found himself replying to the strange man.

"Why is that? Compared to the swordsman, I would think that…"

"My older brother and I got used to the swordsman because of what we do. Sure, they can be scary, but we're not really intimidated by them anymore. Er, except for Kisame." Suigetsu added. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "But Mai is scary because she can hurt us, plus she's the head of T&I in Kirigakure. Ao is just… he can really raise his voice and when he gets serious… there is a reason why all the ninja in Kiri listen to him. Well, the loyal ones, anyway."

"Interesting…" Roshi smiled. "So the Mizukage's advisors must be pretty dependable people…"

"Um… who are you, exactly?" Suigetsu asked suddenly. "I've never seen you around before, or that guy who attack me and my brother. Are you from around here, or…?"

"Ah, ah, before that," Roshi grinned and gestured to the food in front of the boy. "Why don't you sample that first? Don't want to let it get cold, after all."

Tentatively accepting the surreal situation that he was in, Suigetsu took his chopstick and took one bite out of his meal. He chewed slowly, savored the taste, then swallowed. The boy was silent for a few more seconds.

"…It's good." Suigetsu said mildly.

Roshi smiled.

"I'm happy to hear that."

Suigetsu could only manage a weak chuckle in response.

* * *

Utakata didn't have a destination in mind after he had stormed out of the bar and away from his not-sensei and her student. His mind was covered in a red haze of anger that would not lift, furious because of Mei's invasion into private matters that should've been left alone. It had only been many couple months since his former sensei's betrayal of his trust, and Utakata had repressed the memory and buried the matter deep within himself, making himself believe that there was never a time when he had called anyone "sensei". He was alone, as he always had been. It was better that way.

The Rokubi's container clenched his fists in frustration when he thought of the swordswoman who had discussed the matter so flippantly, as if she had been talking about the weather instead of something that caused him pain every time it was brought up. And Utakata was an observant person. He saw the way Chojuro acted around Mei and how she teased him in return. Utakata scoffed angrily to himself. The relationship between master and student was a joke. The woman was treating the boy like a lackey, and he was too smitten with the woman to see that. He thought back to the days when he used to think his sensei could do no wrong… he had been just as foolish as Chojuro not too long ago.

As he thought about the swordswoman and her student, Utakata's mind began to drift as he thought of his situation as a whole. Training alongside the other jinchuriki to gain control of the bijuu that were sealed within each of them…

Unlike his fellow jinchuriki, he could easily find his way around Kirigakure because it was his home. It had been some time since he walked the streets of the ninja village, but he was still familiar with it. His growth throughout the years served as his mask to the populace, as none of the villagers recognized the teenager whom they had all mistreated and glared at when he was roaming the streets as a small boy. At least until his sensei had picked him up-

No, he wasn't thinking about that. He was thinking of the other jinchuriki, not him.

To be honest, the shock hadn't quite worn off yet. Completely unprecedented, the Mizukage recalls him to the village despite having no problem with him, the Rokubi container, roaming free throughout the Water country before. Somehow, someway, the Mizukage manages to gather the other seven jinchuriki, individuals who should be under heavy protection by their respective villages and their Kages, or so Utakata had always assumed, and brings them all here together. The Mizukage revealing that he himself is one of the nine jinchuriki, the Sanbi container to be precise, is the cherry on top of it all. And all of this is done in the space of a week…

"...This whole situation is just unbelievable. It's crazy." Utakata groaned as he rubbed his forehead in frustration. "Yet, I agreed to return here and go along with it. Does that make me crazy…?"

Well, initially he only came back to retrieve his bubble blower and confirm for himself that the Mizukage was a jinchuriki, but that was neither here nor there. And Utakata had no idea that he would ever meet any of the other jinchuriki. More surprising was that half of them were younger than him!

And Utakata was very skeptical about the Mizukage's motives. Did the man honestly expect any of them to believe he did all this out of the kindness of his heart? Utakata had been alive during the Kirigakure Civil War, and even though he had been a child at the time he had heard about the cruel, ruthless things Yagura had done during his rise to power. And why now all of sudden, did Yagura decide to help the other jinchuriki and grant them this boon? No, he must have ulterior motives of some kind. He was planning to use the other jinchuriki somehow, but for what…?

No, he'd have to watch his back. Be prepared for any traps and get the hell out of the village if he felt threatened. But at least part of the Mizukage's offer must be genuine if he succeeded in bringing all of them here, and he had even given them a comfortable place to live to boot. He wouldn't trust the man, but Utakata decided that he would stay, learn about how he could control the Rokubi before he-

"Utakata-san?"

The Rokubi container snapped out of thoughts when he heard someone call his named. Confused, the boy turned to find a vaguely familiar person making her way towards him.

"Yu… Yugito-san, was it?" Utakata asked as the smaller girl approached.

"Yes! I'm happy you remembered." Yugito smiled. The Nibi jinchuriki fell into step next to him, following alongside him as he walked through the village streets. "I'm also glad I was able to find you. I… I actually got a little lost…"

"Weren't you supposed to be with your sen- er, Ameyuri-san?"

"Ah, I was," Yugito trailed off, looking a little embarrassed. "But… well, Raiga-san wanted to train and I didn't want to be a distraction so I excused myself. Ameyuri-san offered to guide me back, but I declined because I thought I could find my way back to the district we're staying at by myself." The girl stuck her tongue out playfully. "Apparently I thought wrong…"

Yugito's hands came together, looking like they were trying to tie themselves in a knot before Yugito separated them. A nervous gesture, Utakata assumed. It went along with her uneasy expression.

"I hope you don't mind if I tag along with you? You are returning home, right?"

Utakata raised his eyebrows at the girl. She was pretty formal for a girl her age.

"I don't mind." Utakata shrugged. "Do what you want."

"Thank you."

Yugito smiled to herself as she and Utakata walked along the street. The two jinchuriki didn't say a word to each other, though Yugito would glance at the older boy every so often. Yugito fidgeted, wanting to end the uneasy silence. Or was she the only one who felt that way? Maybe Utakata was comfortable without exchanging words between the two of them. She really wanted to get along with the other jinchuriki, and Fu had been… well, Yugito would've liked to believe she was getting somewhere with her. Utakata didn't seem like the talkative type, but…

"Ameyuri-san was really nice." Yugito spoke up, trying to start a conversation. "I thought the Seven Swordsman of the Mist would be more intimidating or scary, but she was very friendly. Raiga-san too. Though Ameyuri-san kept on saying these terrible puns. You should have heard some of them! They were really awful…"

"Huh. That so?"

"Y-Yeah." Yugito faltered. That wasn't much of a response. "Um… what about your sensei? How was sh-"

"She is NOT my sensei." Utakata cut in sharply, making Yugito stiffen at the venom in his tone.

"S-Sorry. I-I shouldn't have said…" Yugito mentally berated herself. "Do… do you not like Mei-san?"

Utakata's dark expression answered that question. Yugito fumbled around, trying to salvage the conversation as best she could.

"So, um, Kirigakure is a lot different than Kumogakure," Yugito smiled. "It was really crowded back in Kumo and people were always talking. We've also got a pretty large military, so you could always see ninja patrolling around the village. I had heard Kirigakure has a pretty strong military, but I've only seen a few walking around. And there aren't many people around either…"

"You've heard the rumors about this place, haven't you?" Utakata asked.

"Well, yes, but I don't really pay attention to rumors. Most turn out to be false or exaggerated." Yugito replied. "That stuff about the Mizukage and the Purges isn't all true… right?"

"Village of the Bloody Mist. That was the nickname Kirigakure got once Yagura became the fourth Mizukage." Utakata said. "Well, it had already been referred to as such during the Civil War but the name was set in stone after once Yagura took over. Just look around, what do you see?"

Yugito took a moment to glance around the area. When she compared it to Kumo the village looked to be of low quality. Buildings worn down, dirty streets, people with frantic, hunted expressions…

"People live comfortably so long as they keep to themselves, but I remember a time where people made a habit of using the Genjutsu Dissipation technique on the hour, just to make sure they were living in reality or confirming that they weren't being attacked." Utakata explained, impassive even while Yugito stared at him in shock. "That was back during the Civil War, and people only began to relax after Yagura took over. Even then, people still don't feel safe. You can tell just by looking at some of the villagers, can't you?"

"But, Yagura-san, the Mizukage-"

"The rumors you've heard aren't all exaggerations. Some may even be spot on."

"…"

"But you don't need to worry about it so much." Utakata shrugged. "I hear Ao, who's head of the Kirigakure ninja force, does a pretty good job of rooting out anyone who's really dangerous. And Kiri's fearsome reputation is intimidating enough to keep anyone from trying anything. Most people are scared of the Mizukage too…" Utakata sighed. "Look, Kirigakure is far from a safe place, but you'll be okay after getting used to the place. Just be careful."

Utakata fell silent after that. He continued his trek back to the clan district with the Nibi container walking beside him.

Yugito did not try to strike up conversation again.

* * *

Bee had to admit that Kirigakure was a pretty refreshing place to be. After saying goodbye to Jinpachi and thanking him for the meal he'd provided Bee had decided to explore the village. It was quieter than Kumo and the people were even more so, but Bee liked it. He was glad that no one knew about him here, but he was disappointed that no one _knew _him here.

There were two different ways people knew him. Here, there was a chance for people know him HOW he wanted them to know him rather than from the knowledge that he was a jinchuriki.

Happily humming a beat to himself while thinking of the best way to leave his mark on Kirigakure, Bee didn't notice the teenager running in his direction until the boy collided with him, sending both of them to the ground.

"Gah! What that hell?!"

"Hey, hey! Watch where you're running, man!" Bee snapped as he picked himself up off the ground. He blinked and glanced down at his suddenly damp shirt. Had something gotten spilled on it…?

"Ah? If someone is running down the road you make way, you don't stand there like a moron and let the guy crash into you!"

"And you couldn't just run around me?"

"And break my rhythm?"

Bee opened his mouth to retort, but closed it when he noticed the boy's features. He looked awfully familiar… like he had seen this guy earlier before…

"That's it!" Bee suddenly remembered. "You're one of the Hozuki brothers!"

"Heh. So you know me?" The teen smirked, standing up straight and flipping his white hair back in an arrogant gesture. "It's only natural. Everyone should be aware of my rising legend as I work my way up the ranks."

"Yeah! You're Suigetsu, right?"

"IT'S MANGETSU!" The oldest Hozuki brother bellowed. "Don't mix me up with my annoying twerp of a little brother! We look nothing alike!"

"Sorry, sorry! You are brothers, and you do look…"

"No, see, I'm way older than him. And more skilled. And better looking. And… and… we are completely different people!"

"Whatever you say, water guy." Bee grinned. He glanced around, searching for the little brother. "Say, where is your brother anyway?"

"He's… no longer with me."

Bee blinked when he heard that. Mangetsu turned away and bowed his head. He couldn't mean…

"He sacrificed himself so I could get away…" Mangetsu muttered.

"No way… one of the swordsman got him…?" Bee breathed.

"Nah. Some new guy with these steam powers. He could hurt us and when we tried to get away…" Mangetsu trailed off. "He's probably still in that guy's clutches, being tortured as we speak…"

"So he's still alive then?!" Bee exclaimed, grabbing Mangetsu by the shoulders. "You gotta save him!"

"Tch. You think it's that easy?" Mangetsu scoffed. "You should've seen this guy. He was huge! His face looked like it belonged to a demon. And his powers… alone I can't-"

"You ain't alone!"

Mangetsu's eyes widened at that. Bee stepped back and gestured to himself with a smirk.

"The great Killer Bee's got your back. I'm a hero known far a wide all over-!"

"I haven't heard to you."

"…Back where I come from!" Bee finished. "If I'm to spread my name here, rescuing your little brother seems like a good way to get started!"

"…You're really not from around here, are you? In Kirigakure everyone looks out for themselves. What are you planning? Do you get something out of helping me?" Mangetsu asked with raised eyebrows.

"What I'm planning is to help you rescue your sibling. And what do I get out of it?" Bee smirked and struck a pose. "Just givin' you the chance to see the Killer Bee's might in the fight!"

Mangetsu stared at the Hachibi jinchuriki for a few moments before smirking at him.

"Eh, what the hell. This'll make an interesting chapter what the legend of the greatest Mist Swordsman is written on paper." Mangetsu smirked.

Bee's eyes widened when Mangetsu extended his fist towards him.

"Alright then, Killer Bee." Mangetsu smirked. "Let us go and set my brother free."

With a smile that threatened to split his face in two, Bee returned the fist bump Mangetsu had offered him and the two set of on their epic adventure to rescue the youngest Hozuki sibling.

* * *

It had been one of the best ramen lunches he had ever had, Naruto decided. Not because it had been the tastiest ramen he'd ever had, because barring Han's breakfast ramen nothing compared to Ichiraku's, but because he had people to share it with.

Not too long after he and Kisame had sat down at the ramen stand Kisame had picked out, Gaara had suddenly popped up and took a seat next to him, looking like he had just seen a ghost and was on the verge of tears because it had scared him so bad. Not too long after that another swordsman, Jinin, Naruto remembered correctly, had joined in on their lunch, ordering several bowls of ramen for himself. The man was a big eater according to Kisame, but Naruto wouldn't be beat when it came to inhaling copious amounts of ramen.

Unfortunately, Naruto was forced to forfeit the match that hadn't been happening due to Kisame's mentioning that he'd only pay for one bowl.

Jinin offering to pay for two more bowls had assuaged him somewhat.

"Naruto, was it?" Jinin grinned as he pushed away his empty bowl. "So you say you want to become a ninja?"

"Yep!" Naruto beamed. Jinin was much more positive in response to his ambition than Kisame had been. "I've wanted to be a ninja for a long time now!"

"Well, I like you're enthusiasm!" Jinin smiled. "If you work hard and train I'll bet you'd make a fine ninja!"

"Thanks!" Naruto grinned. A thought suddenly occurred to him. "Hey, how old do you have to be to enter the ninja academy in Kirigakure? If it was Konoha I could start going now but what's it like here?"

"Kirigakure doesn't have a ninja academy."

Naruto turned towards Kisame in shock. "You don't? Then how do you become a ninja?"

"Ao is head ninja around here. He organizes the military and trains the newbies who show up. Practically anyone can join in, they just have to show up at the lake a couple days a week to receive training. If someone stands up or feels confident enough, you take a test and receive a forehead protector if you pass. There's really not much more to it than that." Kisame said.

"It's similar in Sunagakure." Gaara spoke up from beside Naruto. "My… my uncle told me once that the village council drafts a certain amount of people who receive training that lasts a few months, and at the end of it all everyone takes a test and those who pass become ninja. Those who don't are just civilians."

"Not all the other villages are as prosperous as Konoha or Kumo, who can spare the resources to successfully run an academy to train aspiring ninja." Kisame went on. "Iwa is more similar to us in how they get ninja, and those with Kekkai Genkai get special treatment."

"Like the Blast Corps?" Jinin clarified. Kisame nodded at that.

"Really, if you want to be a ninja nothing's stopping you," Kisame chuckled darkly. "And in Kiri, it's way better than being a villager. Then again, you gotta make sure you're at least competent if you don't want to be treated like a civilian…"

"Is it… bad to be a villager?" Gaara asked.

"Ah, it's not bad!" Jinin cut in, glaring at Kisame who smirked in response. "It's just some of the ninja in Kiri are a little… rude to the villagers. Ao-san does his best to root out the thugs but we've got a few arrogant brats in our ranks that don't know the first thing about respect."

"That's one way to put it." Kisame laughed.

Naruto what the two swordsmen were saying both interesting and confusing. Back in Konoha, the villagers had always been the jerks while ninja were the nice ones. Well, some of them anyway. There were plenty of ninja who had attacked him, but then there was the Hokage at that ANBU that had helped him that one time, and the woman with the markings on her cheeks…

"Why do you want to be a ninja anyway, Naruto?" Jinin asked, quirking an eyebrow when Kisame laughed again.

"Because ninja can use all kinds of cool jutsu and walk on trees and other awesome stuff! Plus everyone respects them and they get to go on missions!" Naruto glanced at Kisame who was only smiling. Naruto narrowed his eyes at him for a moment before turning back to Jinin. "And the only way I can accomplish my dream is if I'm a ninja."

"A dream, eh? I think I remember you mentioning something like that earlier today." Jinin said. "What's this dream of yours, boy?"

Naruto grinned and puffed up a bit. His dream? That was obvious.

"My dream is to become the greatest Hokage ever!"

Naruto faltered when he heard Kisame laughing again. It was the laughing fit from before, but it was still incredulous and mocking. Naruto rounded on the blue man and glared at him.

"What's so funny now?!"

"Oh, nothing. Just though I should point this out," Kisame grinned. "You said you wanted to be the 'Hokage', right?"

"That's right!" Naruto paused. "…You don't think I can do it?"

"It's not that." Kisame shook his head in the negative, still smiling. "It's just I don't see how you're going to become the Hokage when you're here in Kirigakure. The leader around here is called the Mizukage."

"…Oh."

Naruto actually thought about that statement. Kisame was right. He wasn't in Konoha anymore. That meant… that meant if he stayed he couldn't become the Hokage. And he didn't want to leave. Here he actually had people who understood him, and he had Gaara! His very first friend ever! And who knew how long it would take to become the Hokage…

"...Can I still be a ninja?" Naruto ventured in an uncertain tone.

"Of course you can!" Jinin shouted, making Gaara jump next to him. "Just because you can't become Hokage doesn't mean you should give up being a ninja!"

"And being a Kage isn't all that great." Kisame put in. "Zabuza and Mei might have different opinions on that, but it's way more fun just being a ninja. You won't be stuck in an office all day and you can actually doing something instead growing stagnant while filling out mountains of paperwork 'till you're old and gray."

"Then I'll be the best ninja in Kirigakure!" Naruto proclaimed. It hurt to admit he couldn't be Hokage anymore, but he could always go back to Konoha when he was older. Maybe he could be Hokage then? It wasn't like his Jiji was getting any younger.

The old man was probably the only person Naruto missed after leaving with Yagura. He wondered how the old Kage was holding up. Hopefully he wouldn't be missed too badly! He knew the old man got lonely sometimes.

"Wonderful!" Jinin bellowed. "And if a ninja is what you wish to be, then I can help grant you that! I can take you on as my apprentice next to Gaara here!"

"Eh? But I'm not-!" Gaara began, only to be cut off by his enthusiastic friend.

"Really?! That's great! Did you hear that, Gaara? We'll train together! We'll be like a real ninja squad!" Naruto said excitedly.

"Don't get your hopes up, kid." Kisame said. "Jinin is a forgetful geezer who can't teach anyone to save his life. He can take directions just fine, but he can't give them. I sooner ask a drunken Mei to teach me how to do a simple Transformation jutsu than ask Jinin. He'll likely just shout what he thinks are encouraging words and hope you pick things up on your own."

Gaara glanced at Kisame for a moment, then Jinin, then back to Kisame. Finally, the young jinchuriki turned towards Naruto with a serious expression.

"He's right."

"Gah! Where do you get off filling MY apprentice's head with these lies, Kisame?!" Jinin roared, slamming his hands on the counter. "I get no respect from you! Same with Kushimaru and Zabuza! None at all! I would make a wonderful teacher! If Ameyuri-chan and Mei-chan can do it then there's no reason I can't!"

"Yeah. Right." Kisame chuckled. The Samehada wielder stood up from his seat and paid for his bowl. "You don't mind if I leave Naruto to you, right? I've got other things to attend to so I'm leaving it up to you to safely get him back to wherever the Mizukage decided to put the jinchuriki. See you around."

"Wait, Kisame-sensei!" Naruto called after the man as he departed. "You're really not going to train me?"

"I'm not your sensei, kid. Like I said, I'm just supposed to check on you from time to time to make sure you ain't causing any trouble. Nothing more." Kisame replied with an annoyed scoff. He gave a small smirk as he added, almost as an afterthought, "And to be honest, I'm kind of a picky guy. I won't just teach any random kid my techniques. Well, I'll be seeing you around, I guess."

Raising his hand in a gesture of farewell, Kisame disappeared into the mist.

"Ah, don't mind him, Naruto." Jinin told the boy who looked very depressed. "That's just how Kisame is. And if he won't teach you anything, I'd be more than happy to!"

"But he said you're a terrible teacher…"

"A-And I insisted those were just lies! Don't tell me you believe that man over me?!"

"Is being a ninja really that important to you, Naruto?" Gaara asked.

"Well… yeah. I can't remember wanting to be anything else." Naruto replied with a smile. "Don't you want to be a ninja too, Gaara?"

"Ah, well, that's…"

Gaara hadn't really given it much thought. He was the Kazekage's son, but he had never had any formal training. His sand was capable of blocking anything so training never seemed high on his priorities, let alone becoming a ninja. But now with his seal fixed up by the Mizukage, the sand didn't follow him anymore. He didn't have any of his father's men trying to assassinate him anymore. There was no reason to try and be a ninja, but there was no reason not to try either. Still…

"...I guess I could be a ninja, maybe?" Gaara said it like he was asking for permission.

"Yeah! We'll both be ninja!" Naruto smiled at his friend. "We'll become the best ninja ever, and everyone will like us!"

"Everyone… will like us?"

That… that actually sounded really nice…

* * *

"Here?"

"Yeah. Why? You know this place?"

Bee was staring at the front of the entrance to the district he and the other jinchuriki were staying at. And Mangetsu claimed that his brother was being held captive by someone here? Was it one of the other jinchuriki? Why had Mangetsu and Suigetsu been here in the first place?

Well, now wasn't the time to think about it. Bee told Mangetsu he would help him rescue his brother so that's what he was going to do.

"Yeah, I know about it." Bee replied. "Here, let's go around. We can sneak in that way."

"Sweet."

The duo went around the district and climbed the wall. Landing in the underbrush of the backyard, the two teens used a minor Veil technique to hide their presence. Slowly slinking through the grass, they came in to face the back of the main house.

"We can get in through the back door here." Bee said quietly, gesturing to the sliding door.

"Great. How are we gonna do this?" Mangetsu whispered back.

"Well, we want to avoid whoever caught your brother for starters."

"Oh yeah, definitely. He catches us and I'm a goner."

"So we'll stay hidden. That way we can avoid him."

"Sounds good. Who are we avoiding?"

"Huh? You mean you don't know? You just said we can't let him catch us."

"Eh? I didn't say that…"

Bee and Mangetsu froze and turned their heads to the side.

Roshi smiled at the two of them from where he hid next to them.

"How's it going?"

Both Bee and Mangetsu's screams scattered crows into the air while the setting sun cast down upon them.

* * *

After spending the entire afternoon with the Nanabi jinchuriki, Kushimaru decided that he really was no good with kids. He had gotten carried away with his sewing and had been engrossed to the point where Fu had wandered off without him noticing. After an hour of searching he had spotted her close by the marketplace, staring at the food stands with desire in her eyes. He had bought her a snack, but the girl hadn't thanked him or seemed very satisfied with the dango he had gotten her. After several more failed attempts at conversation, the swordsman had decided to take Fu home. The sun was setting by the time he dropped her off, but Kushimaru was surprised by what he saw when he got to the district.

Mangetsu and Suigetsu stood at the entrance, staring up at the tall swordsman.

Kushimaru stared back.

"…What are you two doing here?" Kushimaru asked the two Hozuki brothers after a few moments of silence.

Mangetsu's face seemed to pale while Suigetsu kept a weird expression on his face. The older Hozuki brother shook his head before giving the man a tired half smile.

"Just… getting to know the new guys…" Mangetsu drawled. "Didn't know anyone was staying here until today. Who are they, anyway?"

"Associates of the Mizukage. Nothing more."

"Uh-huh…" Mangetsu didn't sound like he believed that, but gave a light shrug as if dismissing the importance of the matter.

"Kushimaru-san!"

Both Mangetsu and Suigetsu seemed to stiffen at the Yonbi container's jovial voice as the man approached them. Roshi squatted down and smiled at Fu who stood by Kushimaru's side. The girl glared at him.

"Did you have fun with Kushimaru-san, Fu-chan?" Roshi asked with a grin.

"No."

Kushimaru gave a dry, empty chuckle at the girl's quick and blunt answer. He really was no good with kids…

"Ahaha… that's a shame then!" Roshi laughed, reaching forward to ruffle the small girl's hair before she batted his hand away. Not letting it bother him, Roshi continued to smile. "Yugito-chan and I already started cooking dinner. She, Bee and Utakata-kun have already returned. Why don't you join them in the kitchen?"

"…Why should I?"

"Don't you want any food?"

The way the girl's eyes lit up and the way she took off towards the main building could probably be translated as a yes. Roshi stood back up and glanced up at the taller man before him.

"Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to take care of her."

"I'll check up on her when I can," Kushimaru said with a resigned sigh. "But keep in mind the swordsman won't always have free time. I'm sure most of you can take care of yourselves, but if we're not around then-"

"Ah, don't worry about that!" Roshi grinned, reaching up and patting the swordsman on the shoulder. "We're guests here! I'll make sure they don't cause too much trouble."

The expressionless mask Kushimaru wore didn't give anything away, but the man nodded regardless and disappeared in a puff of smoke. As soon as the man left, another familiar voice came from down the street.

"Roshi-san!"

The older jinchuriki smiled when he saw a shock of blond hair racing down the street towards him. He also noticed another smaller figure with red hair being tugged along by the exuberant Kyuubi jinchuriki. And not too far behind them was Jinin, huffing and puffing as he struggled to keep up with the two children. Naruto stopped and smiled up at the Yonbi container, opening his mouth to speak but paused when Roshi held up a finger.

"Why don't we talk over dinner? I'm sure the others will want to hear about your day too." Roshi smiled.

"Okay! C'mon Gaara!"

Gaara yelped as he was pulled along by his friend while Jinin stopped at the entrance, placing his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath.

"Huff… huff… haaa… these kids got a lot of energy," Jinin puffed. "And I'm not the best runner either…"

"And you'll be dealing with them for a while, I'm sure." Roshi grinned. "Don't get too in over your head. I suppose it's a benefit that we're all stamina freaks given our condition, but it might make it hard for others to keep up with us."

"Tch. Don't be so sure." Jinin scoffed, standing upright and smirking confidently. "Age can be more of benefit than youth, Roshi-san. And I've got plenty to teach these kids if they want to become ninja!"

"Oh?"

"That's right! It's heartening to see a kid as young as him with a goal in mind and the will to pursue it." Jinin grinned. "And if Kisame will not guide him, then I must do so instead!"

"You're referring to Naruto?"

"And Gaara. Both will make fine ninjas if they work at it." Jinin sighed and looked up at the sky. "Still, it's best if I take my leave. I have a few reports to make and things to discuss with the other swordsmen. Good night, Roshi-san."

Roshi watched Jinin depart before arching an eyebrow at the two other children who hadn't moved from their spot just beyond the gate to the district.

"You two are still here?"

Mangetsu and Suigetsu both glared at Roshi for the offhand way he said it. Mangetsu would have commented on the flippant remark if someone else hadn't interrupted him first.

"Yo, Mangetsu!"

Suigetsu glanced at his brother to see the teen grin as the strange guy who had shown up with him earlier approached them. Bee smiled at the older Hozuki brother.

"You guys aren't gonna stay for dinner."

"Nah. I'd say the haul we got is pretty good." Mangetsu replied, gesturing to the bags of food he was carrying. He had been "rewarded" the same way Suigetsu had been for his failed ambush. He had already accepted the situation for what it was and moved past it much faster than his little brother had. The events following Roshi sneaking up on him and Bee had been… interesting, but he had gotten food for it as was his original goal for looting the place anyway. "Besides, I wanna get out of here before that guy from before gets back."

"You mean Han?" Bee asked.

"Tall, dark and scary? Yeah."

Roshi chuckled at Mangetsu's fitting description of Han. Indeed, the Gobi container had yet to return. And it was probably best for the Hozuki brothers disappeared before he reappeared.

"So, you guys all live here, huh?" Mangetsu asked, glancing behind be to observe the district and impressive main building.

"We're gonna be sticking around here for a while, yeah." Bee said.

"Well, you guys sure got the VIP treatment. I hear that place used to belong to some pretty esteemed clan before they were all knocked off. It looked good before, but now that it's all refurbished it looks even better." Mangetsu said.

"Really? What clan did it belong to?"

"Dunno. Not point in keeping track of what belonged to the dead." Mangetsu shrugged. "So, what'd you name it?"

"Name what?"

"The district." Mangetsu pointed out. "Now that it's just you guys living here, doesn't it need a new name?"

"Hm…" Bee rubbed his chin as he thought about it. "You think so?"

"Kubu."

Bee and Mangetsu both turned towards Roshi when he said the word. Mangetsu gave Roshi an odd look. "Kubu? That's what you're naming it?"

"Why not?" Roshi grinned. "It's short, simple and fits well with those who live here."

"Whatever." Mangetsu shook his head and grinned at Bee. "Well, we're gonna head out. See you around, Bee."

"Yeah… yeah!" Bee smiled widely at the other boy. "See you around, partner!"

Mangetsu chuckled to himself before he and his brother headed down the street. Roshi smiled at Bee's happy expression.

"Make a new friend already?"

"I think so…" Bee said, frowning once before pulling a smile back onto his face. "Kirigakure ain't so bad if it's got funny guys like those two roaming around."

"They certainly showed us how entertaining things can be." Roshi grinned.

Of course, while Roshi could agree that Kirigakure had some good points it was only their first day. It didn't hurt to be optimistic, but this was still the "Village of the Bloody Mist". Roshi wondered just how many rumors they would find to be true during their stay here…

"Hey, Roshi?"

"Hm?"

"I just realized why you named the district Kubu." Bee smiled. "It means nine parts. Pretty fitting, like you said."

"I'm glad you think so too, Bee-kun." Roshi chuckled. "Now come on. We had better get inside before Naruto or Fu decide they don't want to wait for us and take our plates for themselves.

"Ha! You got that right!"

Roshi sighed wistfully to himself and Bee ran off back into the main house. The older container was left alone to organize his thoughts. He was happy, no doubt about that. This was quite possibly the greatest thing that he could've ever hoped to happen to him. Leaving his country to start fresh, cooperating and associating with the Mizukage, meeting all of the other jinchuriki… who would've thought? From a tragic childhood, strained teenage years, then wasting away his time as an early adult before waking up and accepting reality for what it was… to be given a second chance like this was almost to good to be true. Not only that, but for the first time Roshi finally felt like he was among those who could _understand _him. The other eight knew what it was like. There would be no reason to keep secrets anymore, right?

But a part of him was suspicious, almost hesitant to embrace these new circumstances. The cynical, broken part of his mind kept telling him that he was being deceived, that he couldn't live with the other jinchuriki, that he and the others were a lost cause, that hoping to turn their group into something like a "family" Roshi had always dreamed of being a part of was stupid and naïve. That cold side of him that had been created as a means to cope with the torment and abuse that came with being a jinchuriki kept telling him that this was all a lie. A trap. It was unfathomable that a jinchuriki could ever really be happy.

Roshi shook his head at those thoughts. It might take time for him and the others to adjust, but couldn't he be confident that this was the one time someone did something for them out of the kindness of their heart? Couldn't he believe Yagura did what he did because he understood them? Even so…

"Hah… I wonder how long this will last…?" Roshi wondered. "This is such a massive change. All our lives we've been faced with hate and prejudice from those around us. I'm probably not the only one who thinks this is too good to be true."

It may have seemed like a strange thing to get used to, but the world had made him quite jaded. He was sure it would take time for some of the others, especially Han or Fu, to get used to the idea that they didn't have to put on a front or feel like the entire world was antagonizing them anymore.

He had already learned all about the other jinchuriki from Yagura. There wasn't a thing Yagura knew about the other seven that Roshi himself did not. He knew about Gaara's relationship with his father and the assassination attempts he had been victim to, the most recent before his arrival here from his own dear uncle. He knew about Yugito and Bee's treatment in Kumogakure and how much pressure the Raikage put on them, Bee most of all. He knew about Fu's distrust and hate of those around her from living her life on the streets and that she was a small girl ignorant of what most would consider common knowledge. He knew not to mention the word "sensei" around Utakata so as not to anger or remind him of the betrayal he had been faced with months ago. He knew about Han's absolute loathing and hatred for humanity as a whole and how strong and bloodthirsty the teen could be, so much so that he found pleasure in making those around him feel helpless or intimidated. And he knew about Naruto and how he had grown up as the pariah of Konohagakure, hated by every villager and provided with little to no protection from the Hokage despite the man's good intentions.

Roshi suddenly realized in his moment of reflection that Yagura had neglected to tell him anything about himself while Roshi had given him his entire backstory. He'd have to fix that sometime in the future since he was quite curious about the young Mizukage…

And there was more to them than just their flaws or their status as jinchuriki. Bee was a amicable lad who enjoyed a strange way of speech and song, Yugito was a young girl too polite for her own good, Fu was a VERY big eater despite her small, thin frame, and Naruto was the happiest boy Roshi had ever met. He hadn't nailed down Gaara, Utakata, or Han's quirks quite yet, but he would find out more about them and find out even more about the others in the coming days.

But it was these traits that proved they were just as human as anyone else. Despite housing demons in their bodies, they all had habits, personalities and feelings of their own.

Roshi smiled to himself as he made his way back to the main house. Admittedly, he was a bit worried. Though at the same time he was hopeful. Finally, this was the chance to find his place in life. To feel at home and at ease without being hated by anyone.

He just hoped the other jinchuriki would get used to him and each other quickly.

* * *

Han yawned as he made his way through the forest. Nighttime had fallen on Kirigakure as a thin mist had settled onto the forest. Growing up in a dry environment for most of his life Han knew it would take time to get used to the damp atmosphere and constant mist that Kirigakure was known for. It wasn't like he was bothered too much by it, but it was just different.

After exploring most of the village for the afternoon and memorizing its layout, he had spent the rest of the day exploring the area surrounding the village. Thick forests surrounded most of the north and west borders of the village while marshes and swamps were located in the south. The east area was much more clean and open by comparison, and Han assumed that the trails he had found would lead to the ocean or smaller port villages near the coast. He would have to venture down there a take a look around for himself one of these days. But he had done nothing but walk around all day so he was fine turning in for now.

Han frowned as he thought about returning to the district. Part of him had debated camping outside like he was used to rather than return to the house where all the other jinchuriki were. He really didn't want to live with any of them for more than a week, but he wasn't going to sacrifice a chance to sleep in a comfortable, cook good meals, relax in hot springs and work on his armor in peace just because he didn't want to deal with the annoying ones.

He was thinking about Bee, Roshi and Naruto in particular.

The Gobi jinchuriki stopped and grumbled to himself in annoyance. He turned his head and glared at a collection of trees for a few moments before a feminine voice chuckled from behind them.

"My, my… so you noticed me?"

Han sneered as Mai stepped out from behind the trees he was glaring at. "If that's your attempt to stay hidden you really are a terrible ninja. The Mizukage can't find good help to save his life."

The woman frowned at Han's mocking tone. The boy didn't show any respect, no matter who the person was. Mai opened her mouth to speak, but Han beat her to it.

"If the next words out of your mouth are sound something like, "is that any way to speak about the person who helped you" I don't want to hear it."

Mai's eyebrow twitched. No respect at all.

Maybe Kisame should've been assigned to look after this one instead…

"So what do you want?" Han asked, arching an eyebrow at the woman. "Sneaking up on me in the dead of night like this… did my comments from earlier really bother you that much?"

"You shouldn't speak about such matters lightly when you don't understand them." Mai insisted with a glare of her own. "The Mizukage did what he did for the sake of Kirigakure, and you should be more appreciative about what he's doing. Have you any right to complain after what he's provided you and the others with?"

"Yeah, I'm sure." Han scoffed, rolling his eyes as he said so. "Hey, don't get me wrong. Coming here definitely got the Iwa ninja off my back and I doubt any of them would be stubborn enough to follow me here, but do you honestly expect me to believe your Mizukage has no ulterior motives for gathering all of us up?"

"He doesn't." Mai replied. "He did this not for his benefit but because he wants to help-"

"Is this really all you came to do? To preach about your precious Mizukage's goodwill and tell me to stop bringing up points about Kirigakure's past that can be looked up in a history book?" Han gave a derisive snort at that. "Then you should know I don't give two shits about anything you have to say, woman. I understand the situation perfectly. I _know _the Mizukage brought us all here for a reason. Somehow, he's doing this for his own benefit. At least I can come clean and say I only came here for my own benefit, not because I feel indebted to the Mizukage for "saving me"," Han raised his fingers in quotation. "I came here because I can work in relative peace. As soon as my armor's done I'm outta here. And if the Mizukage thinks he can use me for whatever he's planning, you run back to him and tell him he can take his goodwill and shove it. I'll listen to him if I want, but I won't take orders from you, the swordsmen or anyone else."

Mai's expression was hard and her glare was piercing. When she spoke, her words were cool as ice. "Disrespecting me and the swordsmen is one thing… I will _not_ tolerate disrespect towards the Mizukage."

"Oh yeah?" Han smirked. "And what are you going to do about it, bitch?"

Han's smirk grew when he heard the sound of metal cutting through the air towards him. The Gobi jinchuriki ducked as the four shuriken thrown flew over his head. He kept low to the ground and charged forward, swinging his arm in a sweeping motion to take Mai's legs out from under her. She jumped back to avoid the attack, causing Han's smirk to become feral when she did exactly as he had anticipated. Using the momentum from his charge, Han kicked up and swept two long steps forward, driving his shoulder into the woman's stomach.

Mai gasped and coughed and the wind was driven out of her stomach, her eyes wide at the speed at which Han moved and how quickly he had followed up his attack. She realized in that moment that she had been wrong to think the reports from those who had survived encounters with the Gobi container were exaggerated. She had already finished making the necessary hand seals for a Replacement jutsu as Han's fist smashed into her neck.

Han clicked his tongue in annoyance when Mai disappeared in a puff of smoke, rendering the attack that should have caved in her throat ineffective. He stepped back to avoid a hail of kunai that came down on him from above, raising his hand at the same time to ward off the attack that followed. Mai's wakizashi missed its mark as Han batted away the wrist the held it, though Han had to jump back to avoid the two water clones that followed up the attack with their own swords. Han grimaced as he avoided the sword thrusts and sweeps that came in pairs of three. They were fast, but Han saw his opportunity when one of the clones lined up in front of him. Almost like a rocket had been launched Han's foot shot forward, a burst of steam left in the place where his leg had once been, kicking through the water clone and dispersing it. At the same time Han grabbed onto the face of the second water clone, smashing its face into the ground and dispelling it as well. Grabbing a fistful of mud that had been produced from the water clone's remains mixing with dirt, Han flung it at Mai's face. The woman yelped in surprise at the dirty tactic, the moist dirt completely covering her face as Han grinned manically and drove his fist forward.

His eyes widened when the woman exploded into water. That hadn't been the real one.

Han growled and swung his leg in an arc, warding off Mai who had crept up from behind him. Using his special jutsu, Han gathered pressure in his fist and released it in one burst upon striking forward. A blast of hot air slammed into Mai, throwing her off balance. Reacting quickly before she could be caught in another charge, Mai threw the senbon she had been holding onto. Han stepped to the side, letting the sharp needles pepper the tree behind him. Suspicious, he gently plucked one out of the bark and inspected the tip.

"Poison…" Han grinned, tossing the needle aside. "Trying to kill me?"

"You're one to talk. Several of your strikes would have been killing blows." Mai said, causing Han eliciting a bark of laughter from the Gobi container. "This is only punishment. A lesson, if you prefer. I'm only trying to incapacitate you."

"That makes me feel _so _much better." Han replied sarcastically before moving forward again.

It was nothing but melee combat from that point. Han pressed his advantages in height and power, trying to drive Mai into a corner but the woman was nimble and kept dodging, striking at him with poisoned senbon she held between her fingers like claws. Han was very careful to avoid them. Han's leg struck out and as Mai moved to avoid it he threw his body forward, catching the woman and bringing her to the ground. Han grabbed a rock from nearby, clutching it in his fist and swung down the improvised weapon on Mai's face.

Han gave a frustrated shout when the clone collapsed into a puddle of water. Snarling, he made a few a hand signs before several senbon buried themselves into his back. In a puff of smoke, a log with several senbon needles piercing the bark was left in Han's place.

Mai's eyebrows went up when she saw Han disappear. She shouldn't have been surprised that he was capable of more than just the steam techniques she'd seen him exhibit but it was still odd to see for some reason. Even so, Mai couldn't help but give her compliments to him. He was efficient and brutal in a fight, no doubt the skills he had were tested and honed on those that had come after him in the past. Mai stood still behind the tree she hid behind, careful not to make a sound. Where did he go…?

"Gotcha."

Mai only had enough time to turn around before a strong arm caught her by the throat and slammed her against the tree she had been hiding behind. Her feet dangled an inch or two off the ground as Han's arm kept her pressed against the tree. Han's dark eyes bored into Mai's hazel ones. The woman smirked slightly even as Han pressed on her throat.

"Not bad…" Mai wheezed. "You are adaptable and cunning… plus you fight dirty. No wonder you were able to survive so long…"

"Bitch, please. Don't preach to me about that too." Han smirked. Mai winced as he pressed harder against her throat. "We're ninja! There's no such thing as fighting fair. Those guys in Konoha and Kumo and some back in Iwa may go on about honor in battle but I didn't think Kiri had anyone who thought like that! Honor and fairness means nothing if you want to survive in this world. You humans are idiots to think anything different."

Han's eyes narrowed when he heard Mai croak a laugh in response. He eased his grip a bit so she could speak.

"What's so funny?"

"The way you said humans…" Mai replied with a smile. "You make it sound like you're not one yourself."

"I'm not."

"Then what would you call yourself?"

"I am what the world sees me as." Han smirked. "Just a demon. A beast hunting down prey to survive. That's who I am. It's how I've lived my life. So I'm not human."

Mai closed her eyes when she heard his answer. Was that warped attitude some sort of acceptance he had come to because of his jinchuriki status? Han claimed not to be human, but to be a beast who killed humans, prey, in order to survive.

Well, he certainly fought like a beast…

"I learned something interesting about you tonight." Mai smiled. "I can't wait to see what else I'll find out during your stay here."

The Gobi container blinked in confusion at the woman's words. He had her at his mercy, in a position where she would be killed. She really didn't think he'd let her go, did she?

Unfortunately, Han had forgotten he had loosened his grip on the woman and it only took a second for him to remember. It took two seconds for Mai to lean her face towards his and another three seconds before Han realized what the sensation he felt. Giving a strangled cry, Han jumped away from Mai, separating their lips from each other and scrambling across the ground to get away from her.

"W-W-W-W-WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" Han screamed before spitting and rubbing his lips furiously enough to peel the skin.

"Fighting dirty." Mai said cheerfully as she tenderly rubbed her neck. She giggled at Han's over the top reaction to her "attack". "You know, for someone who calls himself a beast you seem quite shy about a small kiss…"

"More like disgusted!" Han spat. "Seriously, what the FUCK?!"

"Oh, stop it. You were the one throwing mud and rocks during a fight. What was that you said about no honor?"

"That has nothing to do with this! That was just-?!"

Han gasped as pain overwhelmed his senses. It felt like his bones and organ were being ripped and torn by hundreds of tiny knives, and the pain was enough to bring him to his knees. Han clutched at his chest as his breathing became ragged and harsh. His pain could not be measured in degrees and it was unlike anything he had felt before. He couldn't even channel chakra or bring himself to move.

"You know, most poisons wouldn't work on jinchuriki."

Han felt both anger and dread when he heard Mai speak.

"Dammit…! What did… you do to me…?!"

Mai ignored him and continued her speech.

"Normally, your bijuu's chakra would react to any foreign presence in your body. The bijous chakra is capable of searching for and destroying any harmful substances in your body that would kill anyone else." Mai explained. "Trust me, it took time. Years even. But Yagura was cautious and more than willing to be a test subject to find a poison capable of stopping a jinchuriki. He wanted to find a way to limit his demon, fight against it whenever it tried to exert control." Mai smiled to herself. "To this day I'm flattered by the trust Yagura-kun put in me when he asked me to create a poison capable of killing him."

She spoke calmly and elegantly, as if she had the entire confrontation under control from the beginning and that he had walked into her trap.

Han hated it.

"Mai Gekidoku. That is my full name, in case you forgot." Mai went on. "It means "Deadly Poison", and it belonged to my extinct clan. I'm the only survivor."

"Heh… so even if you're a victim of the Purges you'd still serve the man responsible for them?" Han chuckled, only for his laughter to turn into a pained shout when the pain increased. He heard Mai give a dry laugh.

"Please. The clan itself along with the Civil War saw to the Gekidoku's extinction. The Blood Purges had nothing to do with it. Like I said, do not speak of things you don't understand." Mai said coolly. "My clan's blood is the perfect poison, not only capable of neutralizing any poison we ingest, but we can produce antibodies and bacteria that would act as a copy to the poison in a normal human's body. My blood is almost a living poison, capable of mixing and producing all kinds of different poisons so long as the materials are consumed. Maybe you can smell it?"

She leaned down and breathed softly on Han's face. Even in his haze of pain, Han could smell a multitude of chemicals on her breath. He was familiar with poisons, so he knew what the smell was like, but this was insane! She was like a walking chemical plant!

Han's eyes widened when he realized what she had done.

"You…! That kiss…!"

"You catch on quick. You really are a formidable person, Han-kun." Mai complimented as she stood back up. "I couldn't catch you with my senbon, so I improvised. If I want, even my saliva can produce the same effect my blood can. But that doesn't explain the special poison that's present within your body now, does it?"

Even as he convulsed on the ground, Han glared hatefully at the woman in front of him. She only smiled in response.

"My poison is like cancer in your body now, reproducing at an even faster rate than your demon's chakra can take it out. It cannot be reproduced and it cannot be cured by anyone other than me. Yagura made sure of that when I made it." Mai explained. "However, what makes this poison special is that it is like a light switch. I can turn it off…"

The pain ceased almost in an instant. As Han quickly stood up and ran towards the woman, a furious expression on his face, the Gobi container was brought to his knees as insurmountable pain assailed him once again.

"…Or I can turn it on. I can put the bacterium that is my poison to sleep, and it will hide itself by flowing in your blood systems like natural cells. The Gobi's chakra will not recognize it as a threat and it will stay in your body. The poison reacts at my command, just like any jutsu, making it the perfect tool against even someone like you."

"You… bitch…!"

Han choked and writhed on the ground as the pain continued to increase, and just when it felt like the pain couldn't get any worse it was gone. Han was left panting on the ground, unable to move as his body recovered from the sensation.

Han could only lie on the ground and listen to Mai as she spoke.

"Believe me, I didn't want to resort to this. However, your behavior towards the Mizukage and those around you warranted this punishment. I'm perfectly willing to remove the poison from your body, but only after you've proven to me that you can be trusted." Mai gave a remorseful sigh as she turned away from the exhausted jinchuriki. "We never intended to leash you, but you brought this on yourself. Take some time to reflect on your actions, interact with the other jinchuriki, and I'll decide whether or not to lift your punishment. I don't expect you to change your personality or way of thinking… but I won't let you abuse the Mizukage's kindness any further."

Mai disappeared in a puff of smoke, her parting words echoing in Han's ears.

"Good night, Han-kun."

The Gobi container spent minutes just looking up through the mist at the dark night sky. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt so helpless or had been defeated so thoroughly. That woman was a beast.

Han sat up and resumed his trek towards the clan district. He took a few steps before giving a frustrated shout and punched a tree with all his anger and hate towards the woman who had bested him behind it, splintering the bark and shaking the tree to its roots.

Even if it was like this, he would not bow to these people. He would cooperate with them, but only until that woman thought she was safe enough to cure him. Then he would get back at her. He should've snapped her neck when he had the chance. He wouldn't make the same mistake again. Next time… next time he'd kill her.

But for now, he'd have to play nice. He couldn't ignore every order or turn away from the other containers. Han grumbled in distaste as he thought of actually holding a conversation with the other jinchuriki…

Roshi's drinking and smartass remarks, Bee's rapping, that shy Gaara kid, that brat Fu… Yugito and Utakata he might tolerate, but Naruto…?

Han sighed miserably to himself as he trudged back to the village.

"Fuck my life…"

* * *

A/N: Hm. This chapter was hard to write for some reason so I'm glad I finally got past it. It came out good, though I'm still a bit dissatisfied. Maybe it's because the jinchuriki's first day in Kiri took two chapters instead of one. Ignore any grammer mistakes, I'll fix them later.

So, explaining more how Kirigakure runs and still establishing the characters and their relationships somewhat. As you can see, tensions are starting to rise and not everyone will get along right away. That Bee and Mangetsu duo will be sticking around. There's still plenty of interaction to come as this is more of an "Adjustment Arc" since the jinchuriki are warming up to each other and those around them while getting used to the idea that they won't be persecuted. I'm having fun though, creating personality for Han, Roshi, Ameyuri, etc. since they weren't seen practically at all…

And an important thing to remember is that THIS IS AU so that means CANON EVENTS ARE IRRELEVANT TO THIS FIC just for those who forgot. Anyway, I appreciate it if anyone could give me thoughts and opinions on the new chapter.

...Please?

Kiiam


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